


something great

by xoxoHoran



Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, I love Kol and Davina, Meeting the Mikaelsons, Nate Buzolic is my Favorite Human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 47,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24521833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xoxoHoran/pseuds/xoxoHoran
Summary: Kol Mikaelson and Davina Claire have been doing it for the past five years: pretending to date for his family's sake, so that he doesn't end up in some form of arranged marriage. However, they're forced to take things one step further when Kol's presence is mandated for a week in London, spent at the Mikaelson's old housewith his girlfriend
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Davina Claire/Kol Mikaelson, Finn Mikaelson/Sage, Hayley Marshall/Elijah Mikaelson, Keelin Malraux/Freya Mikaelson, Marcel Gerard/Rebekah Mikaelson
Comments: 29
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I suck, I know!  
> I had been writing 'when we collide,' but I guess I just lost place of what should happen next and thought maybe I didn't cement it too much in background and character development. I'm trying to make a change.  
> That being said, these stories are hardly identical. I promise.

“This sounds like a bad idea, Davina,” Josh Rosza mumbles as he sits on the brunette’s bed, watching as she tosses articles of clothing from her closet, attempting to decide which pieces are appropriate for the ‘high society’ parties she will likely be attending within the next few days. 

Peaking her out of her closet, her hair falling into her blue eyes, Davina Claire smiles slightly, her dimples showing as she makes her way toward her best friend. Though her family is somewhat estranged, Josh has always been like a protective older brother, from the moment they met in a joint class at Columbia, and she’s always been thankful for his guidance and advice.

“I know you think that, Josh, but it’s really just one little favor.” 

They both know that’s a lie: the ‘little favor’ happened five years ago when Rebekah Mikaelson was in town and their friend (her older brother) Kol introduced Davina as his girlfriend, with the hope that Rebekah would report back to their mother that he didn’t need to be set-up in some sort of arranged marriage with any of their father’s business partner’s daughters. Since the initial favor, Davina has played the role of ‘girlfriend’ on five other occasions; once when Kol’s brother Klaus and his wife Caroline came to visit the city, once when Esther Mikaelson rushed to New York, demanding to meet the woman her son was smitten with, and three more times for Rebekah’s sake. Her seventh chance to play the role is perhaps the greatest challenge: a week spent in London, rubbing elbows with the Mikaelson’s business partners while attempting to seem ‘in love’ with their wild, rebellious, and notably (often) brooding son.

“Besides, I’ve met some of Kol’s family already, so I’ve got a slight advantage going into this situation,” Davina chirps as she takes a seat beside Josh, smiling softly at the reminder of the ruse she’s been helping with for the past five years. 

Sometimes, she feels bad about the fact that she’s helping create such an in-depth lie, that she’s purposefully tricking innocent people that she genuinely likes, but Kol is always quick to remind her the reason they’re putting on the charade: apparently his parents, especially his father Mikael, have been threatening to set him up in an arranged marriage for longer than he can remember. 

“Doesn’t it bother you that you’re lying to these innocent people?” Josh questions, not wanting to judge his friend for the actions she’s taking, though finding it hard to refrain from doing so. “I mean, you know these people, you like them; don’t you feel guilty blatantly lying to them?”

“Of course it does sometimes, but I’m just trying to help a friend escape an arranged marriage,” Davina mumbles, feeling the weight of the situation as she thinks about the time she’s spent with each of the Mikaelson’s. 

Though Rebekah seemed pretentious and a little self-involved during each occasion that they’ve met, Davina favors the blonde out of all the Mikaelson’s she’s met (besides Kol): when the blonde visits, though she always demands to spend countless hours shopping and going to big events, Davina can see the concern for her brother sparkling in her blue eyes. Klaus, Kol’s half-brother, had been extremely suspicious and distrusting of her, as if she was some sort of gold-digger after the family’s wealth, though she had seen a few private moments shared between the brothers, in which Kol’s smile was brighter than ever and Klaus’s laugh infectious. Caroline, Klaus’s wife, was warm and welcoming, a stark contrast from the other two, though Davina had thought it was because she understood the intense scrutiny that outsiders faced when dating (and later marrying) into the family. 

Meeting Esther Mikaelson had been somewhat like being interrogated by the FBI: the older woman had questioned her every move and, even when they weren't talking, Davina could feel the woman’s eyes on her, studying her carefully. At the end of her trip, after apparently deciding that Davina had pure intentions, Esther had been slightly warmer toward the brunette, though warned them both that Mikael would be very unhappy about the arrangement. 

“Who believes in arranged marriages, anyways? What decade are these people living in?” Josh laughs softly, having only read about arranged marriages, while Davina had been forced to watch a slideshow Kol created of all of his friends that had entered them (he had thought it would persuade her to help him, and it had).

“I know, right?” Davina chuckles as she thinks about the people from Kol’s presentation. His own brother, Klaus, had been forced into an arranged marriage to someone, but Kol had said that things fell through at the last minute and, a few months later, Klaus had met and fallen in love with Caroline.

“Wait, so are you and Kol pretending to be engaged this time around?” 

It’s a question she has been silently wondering since Kol announced their impromptu trip a few days ago: they have been (fake) dating for the last five years and he is the last of his siblings without a spouse, would he want to solidify the fact that he wasn’t a pawn to his father by bringing along his (fake) fiance rather than girlfriend? 

“Only time will tell,” Davina mumbles, abruptly walking back toward her closet, not wanting to dwell too much on the question.

* * *

“We are so looking forward to having both of you back in London,” Rebekah sighs, and, even on his end of the phone, Kol can picture the somewhat sad look painted across his sister’s perfect skin. Though _he_ has always been known as the most dramatic and unpredictable Mikaelson, sometimes he wonders if his sister isn’t a better fit for the title.

“Bex, if you sigh again, Marcel will think you don’t want to get married,” Kol jokes, earning a slight laugh from his sister, though he knows that she isn’t having any sort of second thoughts. While he has never, personally, been a fan of Klaus’s best friend, Marcel Gerard, the rest of the family openly embraced him and loved him unconditionally, no one more than Rebekah (well, maybe _Klaus_ , but that was disputable). “Besides, we’re coming your way for a change, isn’t that a call for celebration?”

He tries to keep his voice light and upbeat, though he’s not necessarily sure he’s successful. A wave of anxiety washes over him as he thinks about the latest favor he’s asked of Davina, who has voiced her distaste about the situation multiple times: now, instead of just pretending around a random family member or two for a couple of days, they are going to _London_ to face his entire family, at once. 

“Don’t sound so nervous, brother, I’m sure Mikael will like Davina,” Rebekah reassures him, her voice back to it’s normal tone, which he often thinks of as ‘somewhat disinterested.’ He’s thankful Rebekah can’t see the way he cringes at her statement, grateful that she thinks his anxiety is brought on by the fact that Davina is going to have to meet his (cold, uncaring, vicious) father, though it makes another wave form thinking about how much preparation they’re going to need to do.

“I just want everyone to like her.” 

It’s the truth, which is somewhat foreign to him nowadays when he’s discussing his romantic life with his family members, but he assures himself that it’s purely because Davina is important to him, whether it’s in the capacity they think or not. She has been one of his best friends since their meeting in Psychology 101 during his junior year, when her roommate (Camille) decided to jokingly diagnose him with a bout of weird psychological problems that left the brunette blushing and rapidly apologizing.

“Esther likes her and, honestly, that’s half the battle right there.” Rebekah comments, the blonde sounding impressed by the statement, given the fact that their mother was still, to this day, wary of Caroline Forbes. In fact, Rebekah was pretty sure she had heard her mother whispering the other day about sending private investigators to double-check Caroline’s backstory, though she wisely didn’t mention this to Klaus.

“You’re right, it’s just- she’s going to meet Mikael _and_ Finn at the same time,” Kol rubs his forehead, trying to alleviate the pressure brought on by the situation. 

“Well, you haven’t been home in forever so maybe they’ll be a little nicer, knowing that you might visit more if they are,” Rebekah suggests, though both know there is a slim chance of that happening. Kol has kept distance between he and his family for a specific reason: always being the family disappointment wasn’t necessarily a _fun_ title, so he’s constantly made excuses as to why he can’t attend various family functions (like _Christmas_ ).

“Get real, Rebekah, that isn’t going to happen,” Kol mutters lowly, not even allowing himself to imagine the possibility of his father and brother being ‘nicer’ to him (what would that even entail?).

Before Rebekah can respond (likely with another lie that is meant to make him feel better), his hears his apartment door softly close and quickly turns to see Davina entering as quietly as possible, a plastic bag filled with the supplies he had suggested she bring hanging from one of her hands.

“Rebekah, I actually have to go, Davina just got home,” Kol says quickly, ending the call easily and not missing the way Davina rolls her eyes at his statement. It was another one of their lies, formed between Rebekah’s second visit and Klaus’s first (and only): seeing as they were a _serious_ (fake) couple, of course they lived together in Kol’s apartment (Davina’s apartment happened to also be where _Josh_ lived, so it wasn’t an option).

Taking a moment to look at her, he smiles before gesturing toward the dining room table she had insisted he purchase (he had been perfectly fine eating on the sofa, but Davina had said that wasn’t right).

“Let’s do this.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Okay, lightning round,” Kol exclaims, taking a quick bite of fried rice before reaching for the flashcards in front of him, earning an unhappy groan from his companion.

Hours after Davina’s arrival, they were still practicing all of the specifics of their fake relationship: while they had done preparation each time one of the Mikaelson’s came into town, Kol decided they needed to dedicate a larger amount of time before this occasion, given that it was longer than they were accustomed to.

“We’ve been doing this for hours,” Davina sighed, contemplating another piece of sweet and sour chicken while shooting a glare toward her friend, clearly tired of discussing the intricate details of his family. “Besides, won’t it look weird if I show up and suddenly know _everything_ about your family?”

“No, we’re a couple, it’s assumed that I share things with you,” Kol states as he begins flipping through the note cards, trying to decide which question to begin with (some of them have been covered _too many_ times, even for him, and he quickly sets them aside). “Okay, here we go: how old was I when I broke my first bone?”

“Kol, I don’t think that your history of injury is going to _casually_ come up in conversation, and if it does, likely it will be your siblings telling _me_ about the full story of how you broke your _**arm** _at the prime age of **_ten_** ,” Davina rests her head in her hand, which is propped on the table, her eyes closing for a brief second. After three hours of carefully studying the Mikaelson family tree and learning more ‘fun facts’ about each member than she felt necessary, Davina is more than ready to go home and try to forget everything she has just learned (if only for a little while). “Everything is going to be fine.”

He smiles as the sentiment passes her lips, the words familiar in the best way: every time he roped her into the situation, she would always reassure him that everything would be fine, whether she honestly believed it or not. Though he hadn’t expressed it to her (for fear that it would make her panic more than she already was), he wasn’t always sure that things _were_ going to be alright, especially when Esther had come to town. However, her seemingly unwavering faith in their friendship (and their ability to lie) is something that never fails to make him feel a little lighter about the situation, a renewing reminder that, no matter what happens, things might _actually_ end alright, if only between the two of them.

“You always say that,” He chuckles softly, putting down the flashcards when he notices how tired she looks, deciding it’s time to put away the study materials, for now. “Why don’t you head home and get some sleep: we’ve got a big day of studying tomorrow.”

Though it would be a workday, Kol had persuaded the brunette to take the day off of work to do all of their last-minute preparations for their little week-long trip; seeing as they were leaving for London in two days, Kol insisted they needed to be as in-sync as possible (Davina had argued they already _were_ freakishly in-sync, but he had ignored her protests). He had threatened that he would call her office if she refused, stating there had been a family death (admittedly, he doesn’t know a lot about her family) or an _emergency_ to get her away for the day: embarrassed at the prospect of this, she had scheduled a vacation day and worked overtime to make up for the large amount of time she would be missing.

“Goodnight, Kol,” Davina’s head falls further into her hand, her voice full of sleep, as she continues to sit across from him at the table. He smiles at the gesture, knowing that his friend can fall asleep in any location, at any time. Slowly and quietly, he makes his way toward her, picking her up softly and taking her to his bedroom, placing her in the middle of his bed before making his way back toward the kitchen, stopping to spare her a quick glance before closing the door.

* * *

“So your sister, Freya, is the oldest child and she is the headmaster of a school that I am not even going to try to pronounce,” Davina begins hesitantly, looking up from her pancake breakfast for verification from the man sitting across from her, who nods. “Freya lives in London, in a small flat with her longtime girlfriend, Keelin, who is an ER doctor and, notably, American.”

“I wouldn’t say that being American is her most notable feature,” Kol laughs, though Davina shoots him a somewhat harsh look that has him quickly looking back toward his breakfast, shoveling another large bite into his mouth quickly.

“Second is Finn, who is into tech startups and is, let’s face it, the most likely to not like me,” She sighs when she makes the statement and, though Kol wishes he could dispute the statement, but both know it’s true: Finn has always been close with his parents and suspicious of newcomers into the family. “He’s married to Sage, a retired boxer who now spends her days at home raising their children.” She shudders slightly, not looking forward to meeting either half of that duo.

“They’re not as scary as you’re picturing, I promise,” Kol assures her, thinking about his oldest brother and sister-in-law. Finn and Sage had been together for as long as he could remember and, though they both were somewhat intimidating when apart, together they were more _manageable_.

“Kol, I’m sorry to say this and seem rude, but you’re not that convincing,” Davina smiles, sticking her tongue out teasingly. “Okay, next in the Mikaleson family tree is Elijah, a corporate lawyer, and his girlfriend, Hayley, who is a defense attorney. Interestingly, Hayley is also the mother of Hope Mikaelson, whose father is your brother, Klaus.” 

When Rebekah had shared that piece of information with them during her first visit, Kol had spent hours questioning how it was possible and cursing softly as Davina attempted to comfort him and brainstormed various conspiracy theories about the situation. After it became public knowledge that she was pregnant, Mikael arranged for a marriage to happen between Klaus and Hayley, but a few months before the wedding, something happened that broke the engagement. Though Kol repeatedly and frequently asked Rebekah what had happened to cause Mikael to change his mind, he never received an honest answer from his sister, instead getting vague responses such as ‘it just wasn’t right’ and ‘Mikael changed his mind.’

“Klaus, your half-brother, works as an advertising executive and his wife, Caroline, is a journalist for _The Telegraph_ ; we read her articles every time they are published and they visited a couple of years ago,” Davina recounts, thinking about the bubbly blonde and her more stoic husband. Like Freya and Rebekah’s fiance, Marcel, Caroline was an American, though the blonde had been living in London since her college days, having fallen in love with Klaus shortly after graduation from Oxford College.

“Those two will be easy to please: Caroline already loves you,” Kol says, tossing notecards about the couple into a ‘trash’ pile, knowing that Davina has an advantage in respect to those two. “Klaus doesn’t hate you, which might not sound like a big deal, but it kind of is; I have anyone who hates as many people as Klaus does.”

“He was super suspicious of me and our _situation_ ,” Davina reminds him, nodding firmly as she looks at an old Mikaelson family picture (one of the few Kol kept in his apartment, though not on display). Running her finger over the faces, she can easily recognize Kol with the same mischievous glint in his brown eyes sparkling in the picture. “You’re the next in birth order, and I obviously know that you’re a publishing executive.”

“And who am I dating?” He’s grinning and teasing her, but she smiles and plays along, anyways.

“The lovely Davina Claire, who happens to be an interior designer for a big firm in New York City.”

“I think you’re selling her a little short: she designed this place,” Kol lifts his arms, gesturing to the spacious but cozy apartment. “Before her, it felt empty and was completely done in grays and blacks.”

“Oh God, that was horrific,” Davina playfully shudders, before her eyes land on the younger blonde girl in the picture, who is grinning happily at the camera. “Rebekah is the second youngest child and she owns a successful fashion company that she started a few years back. She’s engaged to Marcel, someone you dislike tremendously, though you’ve never disclosed why: Marcel works as a stockbroker or something, you’re always a little vague about that part, too.”

Her smile brightens when he shoots her a dirty look, clearly not thrilled that she’s bringing up topics he’s purposely neglected discussing. 

“We’re going to be spending a week with them abroad, don’t you think it’s time to disclose why you don’t like him? I mean, if we were really dating, shouldn’t I know, so that I can at least try to dislike him as a sign of solidarity?” She’s teasing and he knows that, but that doesn’t stop him from throwing a blueberry in her direction.

“If you were anyone else, I would assume the answer to that question would be yes, but I _know_ you: even if you tried to dislike him, eventually you would feel _guilty_ and give him an honest chance.” He shoots her a look that says ‘don’t even bother trying to argue, I know you,’ and she smiles guiltily, before turning her attention back to the picture once more. 

There is one more person in the picture she hasn’t mentioned: Henrik Mikaelson. Kol doesn’t mention him often (or at all, really), but Esther had mentioned him when she cornered the brunette during her visit to New York, while Kol had been in the bathroom, warning the younger girl to be careful with her youngest (living) son and voicing her fears that he had properly mourned the loss of his brother. Esther had explained, briefly, that Henrik had passed away a few years before Kol started at Columbia, but that things hadn't seemed the same after his loss. Klaus had also mentioned the younger boy, in passing, when he saw something in Kol’s apartment that apparently once belonged to the youngest Mikaelson.

“The final Mikaelson is Henrik, but he passed away in a hit-and-run a few years ago,” She whispers, her fingers delicately tracing his figure in the picture, the boy radiating happiness and innocence. Kol’s face settles into an expression she’s only seen a handful of times, carefully blank, and she feels slightly guilty for even mentioning the youngest sibling. “Listen, Kol, we don’t have to talk about him-”

“Of course we do, we’re going home to see my family and I’m sure that you know they don’t feel I’ve moved past his tragic death.” Kol stood abruptly, carrying his empty plate toward the sink, the sound of silverware clinking against the glass plate ringing through the silent space. “Henrik was the best one of us, Davina.”

“If you’re not ready to-”

“My family is going to expect that I’ve confided in you about these things, that I’ve leaned on you for comfort during a hard time in my life. And, in a way, I did,” Kol admits, his back facing her as he stares at his dirty dish sitting in the porcelain sink. “You were someone who didn’t know anything about my family, someone who was always willing to listen to a new story and who wasn’t too quick to judge. You’ve really been a great friend these past six years and I’m sorry that I’ve dragged you back into this situation.”

“Hey, it’s really nothing,” Davina says as she quickly makes her way toward the sink, standing beside Kol, their arms lightly touching. “What are friends for, after all?”

* * *

“We should be engaged,” Kol exclaims, sitting up quickly from his relaxed position on his leather sectional, starling Davina, who had been casually eating popcorn, watching ‘Pitch Perfect’ (it was playing on television and Kol had a generally terrible taste in movies).

“What?” Her mouth open, awaiting the piece of popcorn she had thrown that falls to the ground, her blue eyes wide as she searches his own, as if waiting for him to laugh or shrug off the idea (he does neither). “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m not kidding D, don’t you think that if we had been dating for the past five years, we would be engaged by now?” Kol asks, as if it’s an obvious question, clearly not thinking about the consequences of his question. “We obviously wouldn’t be _actually_ engaged.”

His clarification does nothing to help the fog that has settled in her brain as she tries to consider the possible outcomes of pretending as if she was _engaged_ to Kol. Wouldn’t his family be asking about the ‘upcoming’ wedding? How would they ever end their relationship? _Would_ they ever be able to end their relationship?

“Is that the best idea? I mean, if we told people we were engaged, we need a ring and how would we even end the relationship?” Davina’s voice is a pitch higher than normal and she’s struggling to control her breathing. Though Josh had asked her the other day about their status as (extremely) long-term ‘just’ boyfriend and girlfriend, she hadn’t actually considered the possibility that they would want to further their lie like this. Wasn’t it bad enough that his family thought they were living together?

“You’re right.” He sounds upset, like a child who hasn’t gotten what he wanted for Christmas, and she wonders what could _possibly_ be the harm in telling _another_ little lie (she obviously knows the dangers, but she forces herself to forget them as she watches his face fall from the excitement that had been proudly painted on a few moments before).

“No, maybe you’re right. I mean, if we were _just_ dating for the past five years, your family might wonder what could possibly be wrong that would lead us to not be engaged. Maybe it wouldn’t look as serious as we’re trying to seem.” Davina’s mind is racing and she’s conflicted, but her mouth keeps moving, anyways. “I mean, obviously we would need to break off the engagement before any sort of _wedding_ actually happened, but I guess I don’t see what the real harm is.” (Of course, she does, but she can’t even begin to process that anymore).


	3. Chapter 3

“So I got a ring at the jewelry store nearby,” Kol announces as he enters the apartment, carrying bags of Thai from their favorite restaurant around the block. “I took the ring you gave me so it would be perfectly sized and, might I say, I think I did pretty good.”

Davina laughs at his gloating, taking a few of the large paper bags from his arms as he attempts to take off one of his winter gloves with his mouth (she cringes, but finds the sight more humorous than disgusting).

“Did you ask them if it was returnable?” Davina jokes, taking out plates from one of his cabinets, moving around his kitchen with ease: he watches her carefully as she navigates his apartment with a grace that he doesn’t seem to have as he stumbles around, often having to open every cabinet twice before he finds what he’s looking for.

“I did and, let me tell you, the guy at the store glared at me so hard.” Apparently it hadn’t been a great question to ask when surrounded by people who were _actually_ getting engaged _for real_ (if he hadn’t been making such a large purchase, he’s sure they would have thrown him out of the store the second the words passed his lips). “So, I’m guessing it’s not.”

“When you get engaged, _for real_ , you’re going to have to tell that poor girl that she’s wearing the same ring you fake proposed to me with,” Davina cackles, her laughter ringing out loudly in the apartment as she begins opening some of the cartons Kol ordered (he always _over-ordered_ , unsure of what he really wanted until it was sitting in front of him). “She might write one of those bad country songs about you giving her someone else’s ring.”

“Okay, okay, enough of the laughing Ms. Claire. Do you want to see the ring or not?” He asks, glaring playfully at her before taking a small velvet box out of his pocket and gently tossing it to her, stifling a laugh as she drops the fork she had been holding to catch the jewelry. The ring, a three stone cushion ring that instantly reminded him of Davina when he saw it, shimmered in the light as she opened the box, staring at the beautifully crafted diamonds.

“Oh my God,” She breathes, gently taking the ring out of the velvet as she stares at it, her eyes fixated on the beauty and simplicity of the piece. When he had left, claiming he was going to find her ‘the perfect engagement ring,’ she had assumed he would pick up one of the cheap ones sold at Walmart or Target, not an actual diamond ring from the high-end jeweler a couple of blocks from his apartment (she and Cami sometimes went into the store to marvel at the rings and whine about their status as ‘extremely single’). “Kol, this is-”

“Even Bex is going to be jealous.” He’s grinning and carefully watching her, prepared for whatever reaction she might have, whether it’s guilt over the price of the diamond, sadness over the fact that the situation is fake, or joy (he sort of doubts the last one might happen). He had called Josh while he was at the jewelry store, pleading with him for help, but after the boy suggested a horrific piece his grandmother wouldn’t have even liked, he had quickly ended the call and chose the one that caught his eye. “Josh wanted me to tell you that he helped pick it out, but all his opinions were terrible and he wasn’t helpful _at all_.”

“Josh’s motto is ‘the bigger, the better,” Davina laughs, continuing to stare at the ring, unable to look away. When she finally tears her eyes away, Kol has finished opening all of the dishes he purchased, smiling brightly at her, looking extremely proud of himself. “I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.”

“Get used to it, fiance,” Kol laughs, making his way in front of her and gently slipping the diamond onto her hand, grin still stretched wide across his face, “because we’re absolutely doing this.”

* * *

“Don’t forget to call as soon as you land,” Cami exclaims as she tightly hugs her best friend, a few tears sliding down her porcelain cheeks, though she quickly wipes them away. 

Back in college, when Davina had first explained the situation to her, she had thought it was a little insane, but understood that Davina’s fierce sense of loyalty (and inability to say no to Kol Mikaelson) made her more determined than ever. Over the course of the five years, as the duo continued the ruse, she had silently judged them alongside Josh, though attempted to remain outwardly supportive of the plan they had concocted. She, more than anyone, understood the hardships Kol faced after losing his brother, having lost her own twin a few years back: while she didn’t think his reaction to his family’s plans was _healthy_ , she also understood that he wasn’t ready to process anything else, let alone an arranged marriage.

“I will, Cami,” Davina rolls her eyes, nudging her best friend gently as the blonde wipes away a couple more tears. While they were no longer roommates, seeing as Cami lived closer to Columbia, where she was in graduate school, and Davina lived with Josh near Midtown, they had hardly gone a few days without seeing one another: it was only when Davina had caught the flu that they spent more than three days apart, and even then, Cami had stormed into her apartment on the fourth day, bearing homemade soup and a large variety of drugstore decongestants. 

“It’s nice that you’re so worried about me, Cami,” Kol jokes from behind Davina, holding all of their luggage in his outstretched arms, watching the moment between the best friends unfold in front of him. 

The relationship that the two girls share reminds him somewhat of the one between Marcel and Klaus: a bond he has always been jealous of and never able to find (though, he will now openly admit that he does have _some_ sort of bond with Davina, as well as with Cami and Josh). However, he doubts that his friendship with Cami or Josh would involve doing anything to make sure the other is okay; sure, he had taken the fall for Josh when he accidentally got mixed up in illegal activities when he tried to rush a fraternity during his freshman year, but it was hardly the same as what the girls in front of him share.

“Oh please, Kol, we both know that you can handle yourself,” The blonde laughs, an infectious smile brightening her face.

“Are you saying that I can’t handle myself in a foreign country?” Davina accuses her friend, her eyes narrowing playfully as she sizes up the blonde, wondering if it would be wrong to tackle the blonde in front of so many TSA agents (she decides on yes, though she’s unhappy about it).

“Well-”

Both girls break into fits of giggles as the speaker crackles above them, announcing that the flight to London will begin boarding soon.

“Be safe,” Cami mumbles as she brings the brunette close to her, wrapping her arms tightly around her best friend, not wanting to let her go anytime soon.

“I’m always safe,” Davina whispers, her head resting slightly on Cami’s shoulder before she reluctantly pulls away, her ‘engagement’ ring catching the light and sparkling.

“Take care of her,” Cami mumbles softly as she wraps her arms around Kol, shooting a quick glance to the brunette, who is picking up some of the bags Kol had tossed aside, smiling as she looks at the embracing duo.

“Always,” Kol promises, sharing a knowing look with the blonde before making his way back toward Davina, taking most of the bags from her as they make their way toward their gate, buzzing with a combination of nerves and excitement.

* * *

“Are you ready to meet my family, darling?” Kol asks, his voice light as he tests the nickname, deciding that his family will likely expect them to have grown accustomed to calling one another less than formal names.

“I’m a little nervous, but everything is going to be fine.” She quickly reaches for his hand and offers him a reassuring squeeze, allowing their intertwined fingers to lay on the armrest between them. They had agreed that to get into character, they would begin acting like a couple starting on the plane ride, so they would (hopefully) be accustomed to one another by the time they landed in London (she hadn’t thought it was necessary, but his eyes were wide in a way that somewhat scared her, so she easily agreed).

“Thank you, again, for doing this,” He whispers lowly, twisting the diamond ring gently on her finger as he feels his stomach sink slightly, thinking about how everything between them is a ploy for his family. “I know that it’s a lot to ask anyone.”

Davina smiles in his direction before leaning her head onto his shoulder hesitantly, as if trying out the motion, before allowing herself to relax, smiling softly up at him. 

“Of course,” She states, her eyes closing for a brief moment before they heavily, slowly open, her blue eyes meeting his brown in a look that he doesn’t want to think about (well, he does, but he doesn’t when they’re about to meet his family as a (fake) engaged couple for the first time). “I would do anything for you.”

Her eyes close once more as her voice carries softly in the silence of their own personal space; Esther had insisted that the duo fly first-class and comfortably, booking their flights in advance (Kol’s pretty sure it’s because she wanted to make sure the flights were _booked_ and he didn’t back out at last minute). She curls slightly more into his side, gently nuzzling her face against his shoulder, her mouth slightly open as she releases a soft snore.

“You two are just _so_ cute,” The flight attendant whispers, passing by the young couple on her way to collect drink orders for the other passengers.

“Thanks,” He replies softly, though his eyes are trained on the girl beside him.

(Sometimes, he wonders what would happen if everything weren’t so _fake_ between them, but he doesn’t allow himself to question it for too long).


	4. Chapter 4

Davina’s shaken awake by Kol, who insists that she needs to see London from the airplane’s altitude, gesturing madly toward the window, as if he’s made some sort of discovery. She can’t help the smile that forms on her face at the look of wonder that’s reflected on his, though she allows her head to remain on his shoulder, still drowsy enough to blame it on a sheer lack of energy (not that she needs an explanation, given that they’re back in _fake couple_ mode).

“Just wait until we get some time to explore: I have a long list of places we _have_ to visit,” Kol exclaims happily, his face brighter than she’s ever seen before. She looks up at her ‘boyfriend,’ trying to judge how much of his mood is genuine and how much is an act, before deciding that it wasn’t worth analyzing: if Kol Mikaelson, a man who only seems excited about upcoming birthdays and watching the Knicks win, is happy about something as simple as showing her the places he loved growing up, she will just go along with it.

“Are we going to have time to explore?” She yawns, wiping the sleep from her eyes as she tries to force herself to wake up a little more, sure that her hair is sticking in every direction. “I mean, is your mom keeping us on a tight schedule?”

His smile dims slightly as he’s reminded of why they are returning to London, before returning at full force, nodding happily and assuring her that he somehow managed to persuade the older woman that they would need time together, as a couple, to reminisce at the place he once called home.

“I think she only agreed because she’s hoping you’ll fall in love with London, which would lead to us moving back and being closer to the family, inevitably leading to me taking over my father’s real estate business,” Kol explains, rolling his eyes as he thinks about the levels of manipulation his mother is constantly considering as he tosses an arm loosely around Davina, pointing out another building that is partially blocked by the clouds. “That’s the Mikaelson compound.”

“How can you tell, that place was like ninety percent covered by clouds and microscopic,” Davina laughs, squinting toward the window as if trying to get a better view of her surroundings. 

“Trust me, I just know.”

Davina quickly turns toward Kol, noticing the somber undertone his words carry, as if they’re disguising horrible memories of his childhood home. She easily flips the armrest up between them and quickly allows her arm to snake around his back, trying to offer a sense of comfort (she’s not sure she’s successful, given the way he tenses slightly, but she tells herself to _try_ , anyway).

* * *

“You’re going to like her, I’m positive,” Rebekah Mikaelson mumbles, bouncing slightly on her toes as she anxiously awaits her brother’s arrival, having volunteered to pick the duo up from the airport (Esther had suggested they just send one of the chauffeurs, but Rebekah had suggested that she and Marcel do it so that it would give her some time to talk with her brother). 

“Who, Davina?” Marcel Gerard looks away from the crowd toward his fiance, wanting her to verify his guess, though he is positive he was correct. 

Ever since Rebekah had first met Kol’s girlfriend five years ago, the blonde could hardly stop gushing to practically all of their friends about how perfect the duo was together: she had told her siblings _every_ detail she knew about the girl and, on more than one occasion, Marcel had caught her calling up some of her old friends she had thought liked Kol, bragging about how he had met his _soulmate_. 

“Of course Davina, who else?” The blonde smiles, nudging her fiance as she looks back toward the crowd of people, trying not to cringe as a plethora of smells greet her nose. “I have a good feeling about the two of you.”

“Bex, don’t get ahead of yourself here,” Marcel smiles, wrapping an arm around his longtime partner, drawing her close to his side and away from the prying eyes of other passengers who seemed fixated on the somewhat high-class duo. “If the girl likes Kol, then I doubt she’s going to like me.”

Over the years, he had come to somewhat understand the situation between him and Kol Mikaelson, if only by hearing small pieces of conversations Elijah had with both Klaus and Rebekah (separately and together), trying to help the siblings gain perspective on how their brother was feeling. Elijah had told the siblings that he thought Kol had acted out because he hadn’t felt seen, because he felt they had both replaced him with _Marcel_ : suddenly, Klaus had the brother he ‘always wanted’ and Rebekah had a close friend and confidant to replace him with. Though he heard both deny the accusations, he had wondered on various occasions if the words had any truth to them, especially when Klaus would remind him that was a member of the family or when Rebekah would turn to him _every time_ (he feels significantly less guilty about the latter, especially since he and Rebekah are no romantically involved, though he had felt bad about both for a while).

“Trust me when I say, Davina isn’t like that,” Rebekah shrugs, thinking back to the first time she had encountered the blonde. 

It had been during her first visit to New York, her first trip away from England alone, and she had fought tooth and nail with her parents for them to agree that she could spend Fashion Week in New York with Kol. She had been more than surprised when she arrived at her brother’s apartment to see a beautiful brunette opening the door, in the middle of shouting something at her brother, before turning toward her with a confused look and a small smile. While Rebekah had expected the girl to add herself into whatever plans the siblings might have had (which, hint, was none, given that Kol wasn’t a stellar planner), but instead she had opened the door wider and told Kol that she would see him the following day, sending her a slight wave on her way out the door. It was a couple of days later, when she found herself sitting across from the brunette at some pizza joint Kol swore was ‘the best he ever had,’ that she learned the girl’s name was Davina and that she had just started dating Kol.

Admittedly, she remembers thinking that the girl was nothing like someone she had thought her brother would be interested in: she looked as if she would rather spend her nights tucked away watching movies and chatting about celebrity gossip than out, dancing and drinking at clubs. _Davina_ had an air of innocence and warmth that seemed to follow her and made her more approachable, though she was extremely competitive at board games (which had been Kol’s suggestion, though both girls initially (loudly) protested). She was funny and easygoing and, when Kol had explained that Davina was responsible for the changes made around his once mono-chromatic and cold apartment, she allowed herself to enjoy the girl’s presence, beginning to actually hope things worked out between the brunette and her brother.

“Everyone's _a little_ like that,” Marcel mumbles, narrowing his eyes as he spots a man that clearly resembles Kol, trying to decide if he’s looking at his future brother-in-law or just another random passenger that bears a slight resemblance. “Rebekah, does that look like Kol to you?”

“Where?”

Before Marcel can make the slightest gesture toward where Kol’s potential doppelganger is standing, the man appears in front of him, a somewhat shy looking brunette standing at his side, laughing at whatever her companion has told her.

“Davina! Kol!” Rebekah’s cry is loud and dramatic as she wraps her arms around the duo, earning somewhat shocked looks from both people, who look startled by the normally composed woman’s outburst. 

“Rebekah, is everything okay? I thought Esther and Mikael would have just sent someone to pick us up,” Kol admits after he escapes his sister’s hug, picking up the luggage he had dropped in surprise. Marcel scrambles toward the younger man, taking a few of the bags from him, as Davina laughs at something Rebekah has whispered to her, the brunette looking in Kol’s direction, before leaning toward the blonde.

“That probably isn’t good, is it?” Kol jokes as he quickly reaches for his ‘girlfriend,’ the diamond ring on her hand reflecting the light and eliciting another squeal from Rebekah.

“Bloody hell, Kol! You’re getting married and you didn’t even bother asking me to help pick out the ring?”

The blonde’s eyes are narrowed as she stares at her brother, though she’s smiling and holding Davina’s hand, inspecting the diamonds carefully, as if it needs her stamp of approval before it can officially be declared the ‘perfect ring’ (she hates to admit it, but it _does_ seem kind of perfect). Davina laughs at her reaction, wrapping an arm around Kol and sending him a look that screams ‘help me.’

“Well, sister, I thought it should have been a private moment between Davina and I, without hearing anyone else’s input on the matter,” Kol laughs, pulling Davina tightly to his side, much to Marcel's surprise. He places a quick kiss on Davina’s head, a sweet gesture of affection that Marcel thinks should be foreign to him, though he does it with an ease that suggests it’s a frequent recurrence between the couple.

“Okay, fine! But now that you’re engaged, it’s time to start planning the wedding! You guys should announce it at the party, like a double engagement party! Does anyone else know about this? Have you told Esther?” Rebekah continues to ramble as they make their way outside, rapidly firing questions at the brunette couple, who only exchanges looks of horror and slight disbelief, though they seem more casual than Rebekah had been expecting. “Are you guys going to have any children? What do you think about naming me the godmother? Or you could-”

“‘Wear the ring when you meet my family! Everything will be fine!’ You are such a liar,” Davina laughs, her voice dropping a couple of octaves as she fakes a (horrible) English accent, clearly trying to impersonate Kol with minimal success, though the man beside her smiles happily as if she hasn’t done one of the worst impressions Marcel has ever heard.

“Everything will be fine, darling,” Kol promises, sending her a soft smile as he parts from her briefly, helping Marcel toss bags of luggage into the back of the black Escalade.

“Now that Rebekah knows you’re engaged, I wish you the best of luck, man.” Marcel laughs, looking toward the front of the car, where Rebekah is clearly still bumbling about ‘future plans’ before looking back toward Kol, who is still smiling happily as if he’s not afraid of the interrogation he will likely face for the next few days.

“Yeah, thanks.” Kol returns the sentiment with a laugh of his own, wish is rather uncharacteristic of him, as he makes his way toward the back of the Escalade, sliding over to the seat beside Davina and whispering something into her ear that leaves her softly giggling.

Though Marcel hadn’t originally believed when Rebekah told him about Kol’s ‘transformation’ since meeting and dating Davina, he supposes that _seeing is believing_.


	5. Chapter 5

Staring at the Mikaelson compound in all its glory, Davina realizes that Kol might have been right when he pointed it out on the plane: it looked just as large and grandeur as it had when they were hundreds of feet in the sky, though everything seems more intimidating now that she’s standing in the entryway of it, desperately trying to string along words to describe the utter anxiety and panic she’s feeling as she stands in Kol’s childhood home.

The interior designer within her wants to suggest that the family gives the home a massive remodel, seeing as she wouldn’t necessarily call the large concrete pillars and iron gates ‘trendy,’ though the larger part of her that reminds her that she’s here as Kol’s fiance and not as someone who wants to redecorate, encourages her to take a deep breath and look to Kol for any sort of indication about what to do next.

Though Rebekah and Marcel had brought them to the compound, they had rushed toward their room, with Marcel mumbling that they needed to unpack for the week, while Rebekah was still muttering about their engagement and the ‘betrayal’ she felt over the fact that Kol hadn’t informed her of it sooner.

“I think we will be staying in my room, love,” Kol says after a minute, looking back toward Davina, waiting for her to take a breath before leading her toward a room near one of the large sconces. Her eyes are wide as she looks around, unable to form any words, but he decides to lead her away from the common area, desperate to go over their story once more before any of his siblings (or worse, Mikael) sees them and begins what he can only assume will be a painful (and painfully _long_ ) interrogation. “I tried to convince Esther that we should stay in a hotel for the week, but she had insisted that all of the siblings be together under one roof.”

Davina nods, still entranced by the stucco walls, before finally pulling herself from her dreamy haze and focusing on Kol, who is fidgeting with his hands, looking around the somewhat empty room where their bags are already piled beside the bed.

“This place is-”

“Stuffy? Pretentious? Extremely empty, even when filled with people?” Davina turns toward Kol, wrapping an arm around his midsection as she smiles softly, looking up at him as if trying to gauge how much of his words are actually biting remarks, in contrast to the joking manner he often uses. 

“It would be a little presumptuous if I said any of those things,” Davina comments with a laugh, which earns her a short laugh from her ‘fiance,’ who keeps looking toward the bedroom door they closed, as if someone is going to storm into the room at any moment. “I was going to say that it’s kind of… spacious?”

“No one ever says the compound is spacious,” Kol laughs, making his way toward their bags and tossing them on the bed, quickly unzipping one of his own. “People _always_ think this place is like a personal slice of paradise.”

“Well, I guess I’m not like other people,” Davina jokes, opening her own bag, which is brimming with designer shoes and articles of clothing she had sworn she would need when she was packing with Josh, all of it slightly crumpled thanks to the flight. 

“Oh Ms. Claire, you say that like it’s a new development.” He quips, allowing himself to stick his tongue slightly out of his mouth in a child-like fashion, sending the brunette into a fit of giggles as they continue unpacking their things and settling into their new ‘residence.’

* * *

“She’s here,” Rebekah mumbles as she makes her way into the living room, where Klaus and Elijah are lounging around on the old leather furniture, watching some documentary the latter selected about ‘social darwinism’ and natural selection, Klaus constantly checking his phone, looking uninterested by the television. The blonde takes a seat between her brothers who, admittedly, fluctuate between loving and hating one another more than any of her other siblings (and everyone dislikes Finn _a little_ ).

“Rebekah, you say that as if you weren't the one to volunteer to pick her up from the airport,” Klaus says, his attention still on his phone, as if he’s already bored with the conversation Rebekah just started. “Shouldn’t you be hanging out with your _bestie_ , anyways?”

“They’re engaged,” She adds, ignoring Niklaus, watching his reaction carefully as his mouth uncurls from its previous smile, setting into a serious line, as if he’s displeased to hear the news. Elijah, who had been focused on the programming, turns toward Rebekah, too, his eyes widened in shock, as if he’s about to start lecturing her about the dangers of spreading rumors. “I saw the ring, myself. It’s a three-cushion diamond ring set on a thin gold band, the center stone is likely three or four karats and it’s _gorgeous_.”

“Bex, we honestly could care less about the ring,” Elijah mumbles, his forehead creased as he thinks about the fact that his brother is engaged to some _stranger_ that he’s never met (Klaus had suggested, on multiple occasions, that he visit their brother in the States, but Elijah always made an excuse as to why it was an ‘inopportune’ time). “Tell me more about the girl.”

“Well she’s-”

“Brother, if you wanted to know about the girl, perhaps you should have visited Kol in New York,” Klaus interrupts the blonde, shooting her a slight look, as if daring her to continue. He had never understood Elijah’s dislike of Kol, though it had been ever-present, even in their youngest days: while Kol had been rebellious and wild during his teen years, Elijah and been authoritative and unforgiving, always giving their brother stern lectures and harsh punishments with the hopes that he would ‘change.’ 

Esther had always thought the boys would grow out of it, that Elijah would learn to accept his brother’s rash actions and Kol would see that Elijah’s cruel words were due to the immense amount he cared for the younger boy, but that never happened. Klaus doubted that the older man would ever see Kol as more than just his past mistakes, while Rebekah was sure that Kol would never regard Elijah with anything more than disdain and bitterness.

“Klaus, you know that I didn’t have time to make such a trip,” Elijah dismisses his brother’s suggestion quickly, as he had for the past eight years since Kol moved to America to attend university at Columbia. Hiding behind the excuses of law school being grueling and a tight schedule at his firm, Elijah was able to dodge every opportunity to visit Kol, though that didn’t mean he wasn’t curious about the younger man he had helped raise.

“If you had made the trip, maybe-”

“-and these are my siblings, you obviously have met Klaus and Rebekah, but this is our older brother, Elijah,” Kol’s voice interrupts Rebekah and, though she looks unhappy about being unable to finish her insult, she perks up upon seeing the happy couple. “Elijah, this is my fiance, Davina Claire.”

Taking a quick look at the brunette in front of him, Elijah notices the way her blue eyes seem to sparkle with happiness and genuine emotion, her smile shy, though still stunning. She doesn’t look like she’s walked off the set of a magazine photoshoot like he had assumed she would, but rather she looks content just being beside his brother, wearing an oversized Columbia sweatshirt and a pair of jeans with various (clearly worn) rips in them.

“It’s nice to meet you, Elijah,” Davina says, her voice melodic and sweet, unlike what he had imagined it would sound like (he can’t articulate what he had been expecting, though he knows it’s not the sweet brunette in front of him).

“I have heard so many things about you.” She continues, looking toward Kol for reassurance, clearly unsure of what to be saying when meeting one of his siblings for the first time (Klaus smiles at the interaction, remembering how awkward the girl had met when they were introduced for the first time).

“Wonderful seeing you again, Davina,” Klaus says after a few moments of silence, his gaze trained on Elijah, who seems paralyzes by the brunette, unable to form any sort of thoughts. 

“I was just telling the others about your new engagement,” Rebekah chirps, trying to lighten the mood of the room, slightly concerned about Elijah’s _non_ -reaction.

* * *

“That was weird, right?” Davina whispers as the duo breaks away from the other three siblings, with Kol lying that they had to return to unpacking their belongings (which Davina has already perfectly folded and put away), quickly retreating back to their room. She looks over her shoulder for a brief, where Elijah is still frozen, standing as still as a statue, before turning to her ‘boyfriend.’

“Super,” Kol nods, releasing Davina’s hand as they escape his sibling’s line of vision, gesturing toward his room and closing the door quietly behind them. “I have never seen him react like that _ever_.”

“How is it possible for him to not like me already? We have never met before,” Davina mutters, trying to think if she’s ever seen the older Mikaelson, though drawing a blank, unable to think of any instances that would have even brought the two to the same location at the same time. She has never felt so out of place than standing under Elijah’s scrutinizing gaze, as he blatantly stared at her, not muttering any sort of ‘hello’ or anything. 

“It’s _me_ he doesn’t like,” Kol assures her with a soft smile, though Davina can tell that he’s clearly also wondering the same thing she is. “He has no reason to dislike you, he’s never met you.”

* * *

“Bloody hell, Elijah, what was that?” Klaus questions harshly, glaring in his brother’s direction when he hears Kol’s bedroom door close, clearly curious and a little unhappy about the elder’s reaction to Kol’s ‘fiance.’ “You just sat there like an idiot.”

“She wasn’t what I was expecting,” Elijah mumbles as if it’s reason enough (he knows that it’s not, but it’s the only explanation he can think of). He had been prepared to meet a brainless blonde who was attached to Kol and hung onto his every word, but he instead saw a beautiful brunette who seemed capable of forming her own thoughts and speaking in full sentences. “You can’t tell me _you_ weren’t surprised when you met her for the first time.”

“Surprised? Maybe, but they’re a perfect match, Elijah,” Rebekah insists, smiling as she thinks about the way the two had been on their way home from the airport, exchanging whispers and having silent conversations in the back seat that made she and Marcel feel as if they were intruding on the couple. “I thought you, of all people, would be thrilled that he found someone to help _ground_ him and his ‘wild’ ways.”

“If she’s helping Kol in any way, I am more than appreciative, and I will personally apologize for my poor reaction,” Elijah says, nodding to himself as he begins to stand from his seat, until Rebekah pushes him back, shaking her head unhappily.

“You’re going to stay here for now, Elijah. Apologize later, let the two have their time together while they can,” Rebekah says, a smile still stretched across her face as she releases her brother, turning toward the television, though her mind is racing with thoughts about _everything_ besides the boring documentary.


	6. Chapter 6

“Welcome to the Mikaelson compound, Davina,” Esther exclaims happily as the young couple makes their way into the large dining room, which is set for 13 places (Kol assumes that Mikael has gotten caught up with business and, though he’s a little upset that his father hadn’t cleared time to meet his _fiance_ , he is also thankful that Davina doesn’t have to face the older man, yet). Beside him, Davina is carefully watching the other guests at the table, trying not to think about how each of the couples looks as if they’re ready to be professionally photographed while she and Kol are still wearing their ‘comfortable’ travel clothes he had insisted would be okay.

“Thank you, Mrs. Mikaelson, you have a very lovely home.” Davina smiles, following Kol to their seats at the table, which are between the matriarch and Rebekah. From across the table, Caroline waves slightly, a smile gracing her perfect skin as she sees the brunette, and Davina accounts the blonde’s excitement to the fact that Rebekah has likely told everyone and _anyone_ that she and Kol have gotten engaged.

“Please Davina, call me Esther,” The woman says, much to everyone at the table’s surprise. While Kol had told her that he thought his mother would be nicer to her, with hopes that they would want to move back to London, he hadn’t anticipated his mother’s overly warm welcome: to this day, she still insisted that all of his childhood friends referred to her as ‘ma’am.’

“Of course, Esther,” Davina corrects herself with a brighter smile, shrugging when Caroline shoots her a confused (and, perhaps, slightly jealous) look, silently asking how the younger woman had won over Esther’s affection. Kol squeezes her hand gently, some on the tension rolling of his shoulders as he smiles in the brunette’s direction, though Davina is not sure whether it’s because he’s genuinely glad it looks like there will not be any fights over dinner or if it’s because he thinks it’s likely what’s expected of him.

“Mother, Davina and I wanted to be the first to tell you that we are getting married, though I’m sure Bex has already spilled the beans,” Kol smiles, shooting his sister a quick look, before turning his attention to the older blonde. Of his parents, Esther was easily the more agreeable parent: while Mikael had clear pictures of how his children should be raised and the people they should become, Esther was more concerned about their overall well-being (though, he can remember multiple instances where Esther stood by and watched as Mikael berates Klaus). 

The smile that spreads across Esther’s face is wide and genuinely happy, her eyes crinkling in the corners as she pleads to see the ring, clearly excited about the news.

Before anyone can say any ‘congratulations,’ a dark-haired man and ginger woman enter the room, silencing everyone at the table: Davina instantly recognizes them as Sage and Finn Mikaelson, tensing as they make accidental eye contact.

* * *

“Congratulations brother,” Finn mumbles, his arm wrapped around Sage as he sips from his crystal whiskey tumbler, seeming generally uninterested with the younger duo in front of them. When Esther had called them to dinner, she had demanded they be present, claiming that even their children wouldn’t be valid excuses to get out of the first family meal she’s had with all of her children in seven years. 

Sage, though hesitant to leave her children unattended, had been excited when she heard Kol was returning home, enjoying his witty remarks and various opinions on _everything_.

“I’m sure you have already started planning the wedding,” Sage says, holding Davina’s hand as she closely examines the ring, admiring the stunning quality of the three diamonds sitting on the brunette’s delicate hand. Though she doesn’t mean to sound condescending and pretentious, even _she_ will admit that her words sound a little like both when she hears her own voice, internally cringing, though remaining outwardly composed. 

“We actually haven’t,” Davina smiles shyly, taking her hand slowly away from Sage and gripping Kol’s, squeezing it gently, as if leaning on him for silent support. “I guess we’re just not in any rush to get married, we like things the way they are.”

“For us, it’s more about just enjoying this stage in our lives, rather than just rushing to the next phase,” Kol agrees, nodding as he places a soft kiss on Davina’s head, one of the movements they had adapted early on during their ruse (at first, it had felt weird and forced, though it now almost feels natural, which makes him slightly uneasy). “We’re never going to be this young again, right?”

“Right,” Sage says, though it’s clear that she doesn’t necessarily understand the sentiment, having gotten married only a few short months after Finn proposed (to her defense, they had been dating for almost a decade and she had been planning _before_ she had gotten the ring). “Esther mentioned that you’re an interior designer, Davina.”

“That’s right: I work for a big design firm, helping remodel some of the older brownstones in the city, helping keep everything modern and up-to-date, while also making sure not to change _too_ many of the historic and traditional aspects of the buildings,” Davina says, smiling brightly as she thinks about her job. When she had been accepted at Columbia, she had declared a major in English literature, but somehow found herself loving the settings of the novels more than the plot, imagining the way things were laid out and thinking of how she would make various changes.

“She’s amazing,” Kol adds, laughing as Davina’s cheeks turn a light shade of pink, the girl clearly not comfortable with compliments.

“I can only imagine,” Finn mutters, looking around the room as if trying to find a quick way to escape the conversation.

“Hey Finn, I think Esther was asking about you in the library,” Keelin says, interrupting the conversation and placing a gentle hand on the older man’s shoulder, clearly signaling for him to leave (much to everyone’s relief). 

Finn mumbles a quick apology, taking Sage’s hand as the duo excuses themselves from the ‘riveting’ conversation that had been taking place and, for the first time since they arrived, Davina allows herself to take a breath.

“You looked a little tense there,” Keelin jokes softly, turning to make sure Finn is out of earshot, before grinning at the young couple, more than ecstatic to meet the girl that Esther and Rebekah had told her about in _great_ detail. “We haven’t been properly introduced yet, but I’m Keelin, Freya’s girlfriend.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Keelin, I’m-”

“-Davina Claire, the mysterious woman who captured Kol’s heart. You have quite the reputation,” Keelin laughs, scanning the room quickly for her girlfriend, before returning her attention to the couple of the hour. “I've heard only _the best_ things about you from Caroline, Rebekah, and Esther and I just knew I had to meet you myself.”

Before Davina has the chance to formulate a response for the woman in front of her, the darker haired girl turns toward Kol, grinning and opening her arms, as if waiting for a warm embrace (to Davina’s surprise, Kol immediately responds, wrapping his arms gently around the woman and allowing their hands to separate, if only for a brief moment).

“Nice of you to finally show your face around here, again,” Keelin smiles, watching as Kol returns loyally to Davina’s side, tossing an arm around her shoulders and briefly wondering where her own girlfriend has gone off to. Though Freya had always favored Klaus and Elijah, Keelin has never strayed from the fact that her favorite Mikealson sibling (besides Freya) is Kol: adventurous, spontaneous, and deserving of more than he always seems to get, she can’t help the amount of sympathy she feels for the younger boy and the amount of pride that swells within her when he sends her books that he’s edited.

“How have you been without me, Keelin?” Kol laughs, tilting his head slightly, his eyes sparkling in a way she has only seen on a few rare occasions. She notices how easygoing and light hearted he seems, as opposed to the somewhat moody and broody boy that had left for New York years ago; while all of the Mikaelson’s had thought Kol’s departure was a betrayal to the family, Keelin can see the good it’s done.

“Well, things have certainly been less _interesting_ without you,” Keelin jokes, nudging him slightly, silently reminding him of all the memories they have together, both good and bad. The first that he thinks of is the one from Keelin’s first Christmas with the group, the year before he left for Columbia: Freya had (for some reason) suggested that her girlfriend purchase the Mikaelson’s Christmas presents, which was exactly how, hours later, the duo ended up drunkenly singing bad karaoke versions of popular 2000s hits on the family’s dusty machine (why she had thought that instrumental versions of songs like ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ and ‘Bye Bye Bye’ would be a good idea for her _new_ girlfriend’s high society family has always remained a mystery to everyone).

“Please, just because I’m gone doesn’t mean that the others won’t join you for some more karaoke,” He comments jokingly, causing the older woman to blush and decidedly turn her attention back to Davina, who clearly does not understand the inside joke.

* * *

“It looks like she gets along great with your family,” Sage comments softly as she watches Keelin laugh along with Kol and his girlfriend, slightly envious of the warm welcome the younger woman received. She had surprised when Esther had called to tell her that _Kol_ had a serious girlfriend and, when the matriarch returned from her extended weekend in New York City, she couldn’t help the jealously that bubbled inside her as her mother-in-law bragged about how much fun it had been to spend time with her youngest son and his ‘lovely’ girlfriend. 

“That’s indisputable,” Finn says simply, scanning the crowd, as if looking for something more entertaining, clearly not wanting to spend another minute around his family. Though he had spent a large portion of his childhood around his siblings, it was obvious (even from a young age) that there was tension between them: Mikael had decided that Finn would be the heir to his business and raised him as such, carefully modeling him and ensuring that he was exactly the way he saw fit, before announcing that he had changed his mind and would persuade _Kol_ or _Elijah_ to take his place. “She seems like a perfectly pleasant girl, but there has to be something wrong with her.”

“Of course,” Sage agrees with a nod, tilting her head, as if to closer inspect the brunette, trying to physically see her flaws and weaknesses. “No one can be _that_ perfect.”

“Whether or not she’s perfect is not the issue. There has to be something wrong with her because no one can _actually_ love someone like Kol.” Finn spits bitterly, glaring in his brother’s direction, before swiftly making his way toward the exit of the house, Sage following closely behind.


	7. Chapter 7

“I think things went well, tonight,” Davina comments as she wraps her wet hair into a fluffy towel that had appeared in their bathroom (Kol assured her that it was thanks to the maids Esther hired, which had only made her laugh and mumble about how the Mikaelson compound was like a five-star hotel). Exiting the bathroom, she watches as Kol begins spreading blankets and a couple of pillows on their concrete bedroom floor, clearly preparing a bed (she tries not to notice the fact that he’s apparently decided not to wear a shirt to bed, but she can’t help herself from looking for a brief second). “I mean, there were no riots or loud confrontations, which you had said might happen.”

“There’s always tomorrow for that, love; don’t forget that we still have six more days in London,” Kol laughs as he pulls back one of the sheets, lowering himself hesitantly to the ground. Davina bits back a smile as she watches him clench his teeth, looking as if he’s in physical pain at the prospect of sleeping on the cold hard ground.

“Should I ask why you’re preparing to sleep on the ground?” Davina teases after a few moments, noticing that Kol still hasn’t completely laid down on his bedding, still occasionally cringing at the idea of sleeping on the concrete. “I mean, not to make things awkward, given that we’ve never really shared a bed before, but I kind of figured that it might save us both some trouble if we just…” She gestures toward the bed, her voice trailing off, hoping he’ll understand her implication.

“Would you be okay with-” It’s a delicate situation and he’s regarding her as if she’s an endangered animal at the zoo, afraid she might run away if he makes any sudden movements. Though he has tried not to think too much about it, today cemented the fact that their little ‘act’ felt a little more real than he was used to and, while he hadn’t been looking forward to sleeping on the floor, he thought the distance might do them well (however, he’s not dumb enough to reject an invitation to sleep on his expensive mattress: it is possibly the  _ one _ thing he misses about his old home).

“It would be rude to make you sleep on the floor,” Davina shrugs, turning back toward the bathroom to dry her hair and finish her night routine, shooting him a quick smile before she goes, as if trying to find a sense of normalcy in their distorted arrangement. 

As soon as she turns, he contemplates putting on a shirt, wondering if it would be awkward, considering he hadn’t been wearing one when he had thought they would be sleeping alone: would putting one on now suggest that he thought she wouldn’t be able to ‘resist’ him without a shirt? Would it be awkward to not wear one? Should he try to fall asleep before she returns to the bed, so he can avoid any of these conversations? Did he brush his teeth already?

He feels like a blushing thirteen-year-old going through puberty instead of the twenty-six-year-old he is: it is certainly not the first time he has ever shared the bed, though it feels more important than any of the other times, something he doesn’t want to think about, especially right now. Quickly turning his back toward the door, attempting to quickly fall asleep, he tenses when the lights flicker off in the room and he feels the mattress shift under her weight (she’s light, but he can still feel the movement and is keenly aware of how close they are). 

She tosses for a few minutes before finally allowing herself to sink into the comfort of the bed, drowsiness from the day draining her energy as she stretches quickly, curling slightly into a ball on the edge of the bed. 

When he is positive that she’s asleep (she snores softly, which would normally annoy him, though he finds it somewhat comforting in this situation), he allows himself to turn back toward her, watching her for a brief moment. She’s facing him, which is certainly surprising, but she’s as far away as she can possibly be as if understanding that he needed some space from the situation. 

Gently, he smiles before turning back away from her, surrendering himself to the nightmares that often occur in his childhood bedroom (usually things like his father going through with an arranged marriage or his brother killing him, though, with Davina beside him, he’s positive she will take center stage tonight).

* * *

The loud blaring of some boy band song he doesn’t know any of the words to awakes him from his slumber, the cell phone beside him viciously buzzing until it reaches the floor, the catchy song playing in a loop that he’s sure will be stuck in his head for the rest of the day. He rubs a hand against his forehead as he turns slowly, expecting to see Davina sleeping peacefully beside him, but instead met with cold sheets and no sign of the brunette. 

Before he can even begin to wonder where his (fake) girlfriend has escaped to, the phone begins buzzing again, the same song repeating in an obnoxious loop: he picks up the cellular device, purely so he won’t have to listen to the noise it’s making any more, with hopes to end the call quickly and go back to sleep. 

“Davina? You haven’t called in a day and Josh is getting worried about you.” Cami’s voice rings on the other end of the phone. Though Cami made the statement that  _ Josh _ was concerned about the petite brunette, Kol can easily detect the worry lacing her own tone, knowing that it’s likely that the duo is doing nothing but escalating the other’s worry, going through possible scenarios that all end with Davina lying in a ditch somewhere near the English countryside.

“Cami, I told you that I would take care of her,” He mumbles, his voice hoarse and thick with sleep, his eyes closing briefly as he holds the phone to his ear, running a hand slowly through his hair, trying to decide whether or not he should wake up for the day. “You know I would never let anything bad happen to her.”

In the background, he hears Josh mutter something quietly, but he is unable to decode what the other man says: he decides not to ask, considering he’s just woken up and will likely forget this entire conversation the second he is able to end the call.

“I know you  _ said  _ that but she said she would call yesterday and she  _ didn’t _ ,” Cami emphasizes, her words slurring slightly together, indicating just  _ how _ upset she is about the situation. When Cami found herself panicked or unable to think of the right course of action in any situation, she tended to slur her words together and speak faster than usual, which Davina had once told him was due to the fact that she was likely on the verge of a panic attack, voicing every one of her thoughts aloud.

“We had to have dinner with my family and it was a whole ordeal,” Kol yawns, blocking the sunlight that spills into the room as he places a hand over his eyes, laying back down on the bed, preparing himself to return to a dreamless sleep. “Everything is fine though, Cami, and I will let her know that you called.”

“Where is she? Can I speak with her?” Cami questions and, though Kol wants to deny her request and just hang up the phone already, he finds himself sluggishly leaving the bed, slipping on a t-shirt that was lying by the bed and slowly making his way toward the door, mentally preparing himself to face his family members.

“Give me a moment, I’ll find her for you,” He mutters, sighing as the sunlight pours into the room, his door open as he scans the courtyard, where his niece Hope is running around, giggling, while Rebekah and Caroline chase her. 

“Good morning ladies, have you seen Davina, by chance?” Kol asks, taking the phone away from his ear as he makes the inquiry, not wanting to let Cami know that he had (technically) lost their friend. Caroline gestures toward the kitchen area on the other side of the courtyard and he quickly makes his escape, mumbling about how they would have to get together when he was fully awake.

He finds Davina standing over the toaster, a butter knife in hand as she watches the machine, impatiently waiting to see if it has burnt another piece of bread (by smelling the room, Kol guesses that she has likely had minimal success already). 

Making his way behind her, he gently places his hand on the small of her back, causing her to jump slightly, before smiling in his direction after realizing who was behind her (he wonders if he made his family sound a little  _ too _ scary, considering he doubts any of them would  _ physically _ harm her).

“Cami’s on the phone: she’s pissed that you never called yesterday,” Kol informs her as he takes her place in front of the toaster, handing her the cell phone and watching as she moves away from him, the device pressed closely to her ear as she nods and hums in agreement with whatever Cami is saying. She shoots him a pleading look, gesturing to the toaster, before making her way toward the bathroom, deciding to take the call where she might have a semblance of privacy while he waits for the toaster, quickly adjusting the knob so that the toast won’t come out burnt  _ again _ .

* * *

“Everything is perfectly fine, Cami,” Davina reassures her best friend for the millionth time, rolling her eyes as she interrupts the blonde’s rambling about what sort of dangerous situations she and Josh had read about online while they awaited her call. Apparently, there had been a mugging in downtown London last night and they had thought she could have been the victim.

“How was meeting the family?” Cami asks curiously, changing the topic and thinking back to what Kol had said earlier when offering an explanation as to why Davina had failed to call. “Kol mentioned that there was a whole ordeal.”

“There was,” Davina agrees as she runs her hands through her loose curls, trying to make sure there weren’t any knots forming, “but everything went pretty well and, though his father wasn’t there, I think the others didn’t hate me.”

“And how is Kol?” Though Davina can’t see the blonde, she knows that Cami is likely sporting the look she  _ always  _ uses when referring to Kol Mikaelson, the ‘I know you like him’ look that drives her a little insane (especially because she’s beginning to wonder if she might). 

“Didn’t you talk with him earlier? I actually haven’t really seen him this morning, but he seemed fine to me,” Davina shrugs, trying to seem coy, though she isn’t sure it’s working. 

“He seemed like I woke him up earlier and, if I did, tell him that I’m sorry and that it’s really your fault,” Cami jokes, allowing the conversation to veer away from the unspoken territory Davina never discusses. Since breaking up with her high school sweetheart, Tim, during their sophomore year at Columbia, she has hardly expressed any interest in dating or men, in general, which Cami has always tried to pick apart with minimal success (the blonde thinks it’s because no one measures up to  _ Kol _ in the brunette’s mind, though Davina always shuts down the conversation before she can even begin stating her theories).

“I’ll be sure to repeat the message Cami,” Davina laughs, making her way toward the exit of the (extremely lavish) bathroom. “Cami, I actually should return back to the Mikaelson’s, seeing as my toast is probably both burnt and cold by now, but I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Keep me updated on the  _ Kol  _ front!” Cami cackles and, admittedly, Davina hardly feels guilty when she hangs up the phone, taking a deep breath before making her way back toward the kitchen, where a perfectly toasted piece of bread is plated for her, spread with a thin layer of butter and cinnamon, the room completely empty.

Shrugging, she quickly slips her phone back into her pocket, taking a bite of out the toast and mentally preparing herself for the day to come, knowing that the ‘double engagement party’ is happening in less than 48 hours (Rebekah had reminded her earlier in the morning, the blonde carrying large binders and stacks of magazines with more energy than Davina has after drinking five shots of espresso).


	8. Chapter 8

“Which is why I think that the ice sculpture should go over- are you even listening to me?” Rebekah demands, looking up from her binder after realizing how silent her brunette companion had grown. Admittedly, Kol had told her that she shouldn’t bore his fiance with her various engagement party binders, but she had grown excited, thinking that she had a party planning companion who could obsess over the details with her. “Davina?”

“Sorry,” The brunette mumbles, shaking her head slightly before returning her attention to the blonde, shooting her an apologetic smile. “But if you were about to say that the ice sculpture was about to go in the middle of the room, I think that might be a mistake, given that people often gravitate toward the middle of spaces, which would make it theoretically the warmest space at the party.”

Rebekah looks at her professionally drawn layout of the house, before surveying the space around her, decidedly agreeing with Davina’s logic before trying to think of another location to place the large center-piece.

“I can’t even believe you’ve gotten an ice sculpture for this party: I have honestly never seen one in person, ever. I just thought they existed in the movies, at the lavish parties thrown by high society, I didn’t realize that wasn’t an exaggerated portrayal,” Davina lets out a short laugh, wondering what else might _actually_ be true about high society. Did they _actually_ have fancy masquerade parties in which everyone would get paired with a random partner? Did they _actually_ name their firstborns after old, deceased relatives (was there _another_ Hope Mikaelson in their line? because, even as Kol’s _fake_ fiance, she knows that she would never name a child Mikael Mikaelson).

“Don’t be worried about the party, tomorrow, Davina. Everyone is going to love you and how happy you’ve made Kol over in _New York_ .” Rebekah assures her, seeing a swirl of anxiety in Davina’s blue eyes, trying to imagine how hard it must be to meet your fiance’s high society family _and_ attend a party with some of the wealthiest people in England, all of whom you’ve likely never heard of. Even though she was born into the lifestyle, Rebekah sometimes found it hard to breathe, the amount of pressure she felt from her family and peers, the idea that every movement was being watched and criticized: Marcel was like her saving grace, sweeping her away from luxury and grounding her in a more simplistic lifestyle (though she _did_ love planning a good party).

Davina laughs softly at the amount of disdain Rebekah mumbles ‘New York’ with, as if the city has personally wronged her by taking away her brother. It seems all the Mikaelson’s are united in their distaste for the city that was now home to one of their own: Elijah had asked her about Kol’s happiness away from the family when they had a moment together in the kitchen, Freya had cornered her in between Kol’s old bedroom and the living room, where she was meeting Rebekah, pleading with her to disclose something about her brother’s life and happiness, and Klaus had been extremely suspicious of Kol’s lifestyle when he and Caroline had visited (she had really begun to think that suspicious was just part of Klaus’s personality). Even _Finn_ , who clearly disliked all of his siblings, had questioned Kol’s love for the city that never sleeps, mumbling about how he had visited once and hadn’t been impressed with the culture (Kol had not looked thrilled by his brother’s statement, but Sage directed Finn toward other family members to talk with before the younger man could resort to violence).

“Thanks Rebekah, I guess I just don’t really know what to expect.” Davina says, looking down at the binder Rebekah had handed her that weighed more than one of her sample books at home. “When Kol and I are alone in New York, things are obviously extremely different than they are here, and I guess I’m just trying to adjust and remind myself that there are multiple sides to the guy I know.”

 _Technically_ , it’s the truth and, when Rebekah places a reassuring hand on hers, smiling softly, Davina only feels slightly guilty, knowing that the blonde has interpreted her statement to mean something more than it actually had. When they are in New York, Kol is more carefree and adventurous, he doesn’t care about what anyone thinks of him and, while she’s only seen his temper on a few rare occasions, he is generally slower to anger. Here, surrounded by his family, she’s noticed that he is a little more reserved, as if making any wrong movements will lead to him being grounded or a long lecture from his parents. In London, he’s desperate for his siblings to view him differently, hopeful that his charade is working, and every movement is carefully calculated to ensure that their ruse will be perfectly received; she understands the need for a different persona, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t weird to think about.

“That’s something Marcel understands, as well,” The blonde breezily comments, earning a smile and soft scoff from her companion: both are fully aware that Rebekah has been mentioning ‘common threads’ between Davina and Marcel all afternoon, in hopes that they will bond and become friends or something (Davina isn’t quite sure of _what_ Rebekah thinks that will accomplish, though she’s a little afraid to find out).

“You are as subtle as a sledgehammer,” Davina teases, closing her binder after deciding she had been looking at it for too long, the words running together and jumbling in her mind. “Why don’t you tell me how things started between you and Marcel? Kol doesn’t really offer any sort of details about his family’s relationships, likely because he wasn’t around to see them form.”

The women share a meaningful look, Rebekah looking somewhat saddened by the realization, while Davina looks understanding and willing to hear whatever the blonde wants to disclose.

“Marcel was always Klaus’s friend, which I’m sure Kol _has_ told you,” Rebekah begins, her finger tracing along some of the words on the page, simply for something to do, seeing as she has decided to take a pause on the planning. “He and Kalus met when Marcel’s family moved to London during their early teenage years, bonding over their love of mischief and their ‘black sheep’ of the family status.”

Though she doesn’t interrupt the blonde, who is looking wistfully at the papers in front of her, Davina wonders if _every_ Mikaelson somehow feels like they’re the one that’s different, considering that also seemed to be Kol and Finn’s mindset.

“I was maybe eight or nine at the time but I felt an instant pull toward him, as if we were two magnets or whatever the phrase is,” Rebekah mumbles, laughing slightly at her inability to think of the proper reference. “When I turned eighteen, at my birthday party, Marcel gave me a beautiful diamond bracelet and told me how beautiful I had grown to be: I acted without thinking and kissed him on the spot, which created a weird tension between the two of us for a couple of years.”

That part, Davina did know about, seeing as she had listened as Rebekah confided in her and Kol when she came to New York, telling them about how unhappy Klaus was with her and how tense things seemed with Marcel, lamenting that she would likely never find love. Davina had been sure that Kol wasn’t paying attention and, when she talked with him after Rebekah had left for her hotel, he told her that he didn’t want to hear about his little sister’s love life, but she had been following the details closely, hanging onto the blonde’s every word.

“However, a year or two after that, Marcel admitted that he had feelings for me, too, and we started seeing one another in secret, kind of like how you and Kol were, though more _secretive_ , considering Klaus was still around, watching us.” Rebekah smiles grimly, thinking of how unhappy her brother had been when he finally revealed that he had known about her and Marcel, how disappointed he was in Marcel for pursuing his _baby_ sister and in both of them for keeping such a secret from them. “After Klaus confronted us, we broke up for a few months, unable to handle the fact that we had betrayed my brother so harshly, wanting his forgiveness and blessing before moving forward.”

“Lucky for us, Klaus met Caroline Forbes a few months after the confrontation and she persuaded him to try forgiving us: apparently he had been as miserable as we were and, when he apologized, everything sort of fell into place for Marcel and I.” Rebekah finishes, smiling brightly at the ‘happy ever after’ she is finally receiving.

“That’s so sweet, Rebekah,” Davina smiles, genuinely happy for the girl across from her, who is practically glowing with happiness and love. For a brief moment, Davina wonders if she’ll ever have a story like that, a love that consumes her so fully, but she tables those thoughts, reminding herself that she is supposed to be Kol’s fake fiance, not some lovestruck single looking for love.

* * *

“Congratulations again, Kol, Davina is a great girl,” Marcel says sincerely as he sits in the back of Klaus’s car, his friend insisting that he, Marcel, Elijah, and Kol needed to do something fun and rebellious before the engagement party, seeing as apparently the party would ‘end their freedom’ (Marcel is sure nothing _too_ dangerous is going to happen, seeing as Klaus likely ran his plans by his sister and wife before setting them into motion, not wanting to be in either’s bad graces).

“Thanks,” The younger man mumbles, staring out the window, taking in the beautiful sights that he has missed since moving to New York. When Klaus had announced their impromptu trip, Elijah had quickly asserted control over the passenger seat, which left the other two awkwardly in the back, with Kol stalling any form of conversation.

“Oh yes, brother, Davina seems like a great girl,” Elijah chimes, turning back toward his brother and flashing the younger man a thumbs up, which both Kol and Marcel are sure is to attempt to wipe away the memory of Elijah’s introduction to the brunette, which hadn’t gone stellarly (Rebekah had told Marcel _all_ about it when she returned to their room, mumbling about what an idiot Elijah was). It looks forced and fake, though neither man comments on the fact, not wanting to upset Elijah or trigger what they’re sure will be a rant about how he was caught off guard that carefully frees him from guilt and somehow manages to place the blame on one of them ( _Kol_ most likely).

A silence falls over the car as Elijah turns back toward the front, Kol drumming his fingers softly against the door, wondering how things are going with Rebekah and Davina: he had been reluctant to leave her, especially with his sister, but she had assured him that she would be able to handle herself against the blonde and refused all of his excuses.

“This is nice, all of us back together,” Klaus mutters, trying not to laugh at the tension that fills the small space, looking into the rearview mirror to take a quick glance at Marcel and Kol, who are sitting as far apart as possible. When he had told Caroline about his plans for a ‘boys day,’ she had laughed and muttered that things wouldn’t go well, but told him to have as much fun as he’d like.

“Nice _is_ one word for it.” Kol scoffs, looking toward the three other members of the car before back toward the window, slipping his phone out of his pocket and looking to see if Davina has contacted him (she hasn’t).


	9. Chapter 9

“What the hell happened?” Caroline Forbes-Mikaelson demands as she rushes into the police station, eyes wide as she looks around at the cold white walls, trying to piece together how her husband’s plans of ‘taking the boys out’ took such a wrong turn.

“Marcel! I can’t believe this happened!” Rebekah exclaims as she rushes in behind the older blonde, shivering slightly at the atmosphere of the police station, ignoring the looks of the other criminals who are being booked for crimes likely larger than whatever her fiance and brothers committed.

“Elijah?” Hayley Marshall calls, trailing a little behind the blonde duo, voice ringing with worry as she carries a young child on her hip, scanning the area, trying to find her boyfriend and her daughter’s father.

Behind them, Davina is attempting not to smile or laugh at the situation the four men have found themselves in, locked behind bars for getting in some sort of altercation at one of the local pubs. Freya is walking beside her and, glancing quickly in her direction, Davina notes that she doesn’t look entirely worried or surprised, instead strolling into the government building with a coolness that the other three women lacked.

“You don’t seem as worried as they are,” Freya comments softly, not wanting to draw attention to Davina’s lack of reaction, eyes studying the young brunette, as if trying to piece something together that she hasn’t been able to figure out. “Does this happen a lot in New York?”

“No,” Davina laughs, shaking her head, reassuring the oldest Mikaelson that Kol was not necessarily familiar with the law officials in the city, though he had a run-in or two with them (she wisely decides not to mention those). “He called me during his little, one call per person, and the situation sounds like an honest mistake. It’s not like he killed someone. I promise that he usually stays out of trouble in the city.”

“Usually?” Freya questions, eyebrow quirked, as if ready to continue asking follow up questions until she hears the story that has the short brunette beside her blushing softly.

“He’s Kol: I’m sure he will never stay  _ completely _ out of trouble, but he always does the right thing in the end,” Davina smiles, feeling her cheeks turn even pinker, though she refuses to elaborate further. Certainly, none of Kol’s siblings needed to hear about the various incidents he found himself in defending his beliefs and allowing his anger to sometimes get the better of him.

Freya smiles at the response, agreeing with the brunette’s assessment of her brother and wondering, for the first time, what it might be like to see the duo in their natural habitat; though Rebekah had called multiple times and encouraged her to visit their youngest brother, she had always said that she and Keelin were unable to get away from work, especially considering Keelin did a year with Doctors without Borders.

* * *

“What the hell happened?” Caroline angrily spits as they are led to see the men who each seem to be expressing varying degrees of guilt at their actions, though Kol looks somewhat bored, as if it’s a more usual occurrence. “You said that you were taking the guys to a few pubs, not that you were going to somehow start a brawl that had to be broken up by the police!”

“Well, it’s not like I planned for this to happen,” Klaus smirks, though it quickly fades from his face as he sees the disappointment on his wife’s face. “I’m sorry, Caroline, I would never have taken the guys out if I had known this would happen.”

The blonde visibly softens as she hears her husband’s soft apology, though Rebekah scoffs softly behind her, glaring at Marcel. On Caroline’s other side, Hayley is seemingly interrogating Elijah, running a hand anxiously over her face as she holds her baby close to her, wanting to ensure that he is safe. 

Freya smiles as she sees Kol hesitantly approach the bars, standing in front of Davina, who is blankly staring at him, not revealing any sort of anger or disappointment, though also clearly not enthusiastic about seeing him, given the circumstances. 

“Darling, it wasn’t my fault! He threw the first punch and I wasn’t just going to stand there and take it!” Kol’s voice grows louder as he seems to relive the situation, allowing himself to anger as he thinks about the fight that had started. 

“Kol,” Davina laughs, bringing her hand to his face as she runs her fingers gently along his jaw, her engagement ring sparkling under the poor lighting of the police station. “We said that you weren’t getting into any fights this year, remember?” She raises her eyebrow accusingly, letting out a soft laugh as Kol looks toward the ground, a light blush covering his cheeks as if he’s remembering the incident that prompted him to make that promise.

“That guy deserved it, Davina, and so did this one,” Kol insists, eyes wide as he pleads for his innocence, flinching slightly as Davina runs her hand over his cheek, that has already started to bruise. “He was saying these terrible things about-”

“Sweetie, I’m sure that Josh would love to hear that you got into  _ another _ fight about this, but whatever happened to peaceful protest?” Davina smiles, lifting Kol’s face so that they can make eye contact, sharing a sweet smile that makes Freya look away, feeling as if she’s intruding on a special moment between them.

“You are such an idiot,” Rebekah snarls in Klaus’s direction, opening her purse with a sigh, pulling out the money Marcel had begged her to bring as bail. “I can’t believe you all got into a bar fight.” 

Freya can hardly contain her smile as she watches the other three women continue to berate the others, looking toward Kol and Davina, who are still silently smiling.

* * *

“This is going to hurt,” Davina cringes as she pours a small dose of hydrogen peroxide onto a few cotton balls Keelin had brought, sitting across from Kol in the Mikaelson kitchen, where all the men are recovering from their wild night and receiving medical treatment from their significant others and Keelin, who is barking orders at everyone, rotating frequently so she can ensure that no one (Klaus) is worsening their injuries. 

“I’ve been hit by a car, I’m sure it won’t- ow.” His jaw clenches under her hand as the cotton ball makes contact with the scrapes on his cheek, which has turned a light purple color. He attempts not to react, seeing as the others haven’t made any indication that they are in pain, but it’s hard, given the fact that the peroxide burns his skin harshly. 

Davina smiles guiltily before dabbing his cheek more, mumbling apologies as her face sets in concentration, clearly trying not to cause any more pain than necessary: admittedly, he thinks he would be less worried about the situation if he didn’t know about her complete utter disgust with the human body and that she almost failed anatomy until one of her classmates offered to tutor her (he hadn’t been thrilled when  _ Declan _ had made the offer, but he had to admit that Camille’s cousin did help her avoid getting her first-ever ‘C’).

“This is hard,” She mutters, tossing the cotton ball toward the side and turning with hopes of catching Keelin’s eye and drawing the older woman over. 

Watching as Rebekah helps bandage a few of Marcel’s cuts and Caroline cleans Klaus’s busted lip, Davina quickly turns back toward her fake fiance, picking up the peroxide once more with a renewed sense of confidence.

“I don’t feel good about that look, love,” Kol mumbles, his eyes widening as Davina pours a large amount of the liquid onto the cotton ball, her tongue sticking slightly out of her mouth as she leans toward him, determination written on her face. 

“Everything is going to be fine, you big baby,” She huffs, patting the sensitive skin softly like Keelin had instructed her, trying to ignore the way Kol cringed and clinched his jaw beneath her fingers. She comforts her with the fact that Rebekah had considered going into the medical field (as a nurse) and Caroline has clearly had to handle an injured Klaus more than she has, placing a soft kiss on her (fake) fiance’s cheek as she carefully dries his other cheek with the cloth in her hand.

Behind her, Kol watches as Keelin smiles, shooting a quick wink in his direction, as if she had purposefully endangered his life by allowing Davina to help clean his wounds so that they could be together in this ‘romantic’ situation.

* * *

“I can’t believe you started a brawl,” Davina laughs as she slips under the soft covers of Kol’s childhood bed, turning toward her companion in the soft light that spilled from under his bedroom door, where the last few of his siblings were dwindling down (he had tried to make an excuse about wanting to stay out with them, but Rebekah shot him a confused look and Davina dragged him away, making some sort of joke about him always wanting to be awake, which made everyone laugh). 

“It was really nothing,” Kol mumbles, wanting to quickly turn away but knowing how rude it would look, especially considering he couldn’t even use the guise of being tired, having told the entire room he was completely awake only a few minutes before.

“The bruise on your cheek begs otherwise,” Davina smiles softly, touching the dark mark softly, trying not to let out a laugh as he cringes at the motion, the spot still tender. “I would hate to see what the other guy looks like.”

Before coming back to London and continuing their charade of a romance, little moments between them had been nothing to him but opportunities to taunt one another and laugh at how cliched everything seemed: if his hand lingered a little too long, she always had a quip about how slow he was or how they must be secretly in love, and he never thought twice about it. Now, laying together in his childhood bed, surrounded by his past and intrusive family, he can’t help but wonder if he’s been thinking of things all wrong, if she was right when she jokingly declared they were in love or he was wrong when he proudly said they were something akin to siblings.

Everything just feels different, like there’s a charge in the air, like everything that’s gone unsaid between them will be revealed before he’s ready.

“Davina,” He breathes after a few moments of silence, her eyes beginning to close as her face nuzzles into the hand she placed on her pillow.

“Hmm?” She hums, though doesn’t open her eyes, a soft smile forming on her lips, as if assuring him that she’s listening.

“Do you ever have a hard time telling the difference between what’s real and what’s not?” He whispers, watching her carefully, wondering if she’ll realize that he’s talking about their situation and his inability to get a grip.

“Sometimes,” She sighs, eyes still closed. “But, I’ve always thought that anything can be true if you want it to be. So, if there’s something that isn’t real but you wish it was, I’m sure you should try to make it real.”

Her response seems simple and he waits, completely still, for her to open her eyes and realize the weight their words carry, but she doesn’t. Instead, she simply nuzzles into her hand a little more and falls asleep a few minutes later, a smile still spread across her face, as if she’s having a great dream.

“Someday, maybe we could be real.” He whispers, soft enough that even he strains to hear it, for fear that his words might wake her up. He isn’t ready to say it out loud, he knows that.

But for now, just knowing is enough.


	10. Chapter 10

She wakes up to what she swears sounds like power drills and hardcore construction, though she tells herself it isn’t that likely (sure, the party is tonight, but there’s no way the Mikaelson’s are doing  _ permanent _ renovations on their home for the event, right?). Beside her (in front of her?), Kol is sleeping soundly on his side, looking more peaceful than she’s seen him since they left the city, which makes her smile, taking a moment to watch him before dragging herself from the comfortable bed, mentally preparing herself to face the Mikaelson’s (Rebekah). 

Quickly slipping on a t-shirt from some concert she and Kol attended a few years ago and running a hand through her somewhat tangled curls, she quietly slips from the room, running (literally, physically colliding) into Klaus, who smirks as soon as he realizes what’s happened.

“Slipping away from Kol this morning?” He questions, eyebrow arched as he looks toward the door she just closed then back to her, curiosity sparkling in his blue/green eyes, helping her balance for a moment before quickly taking a step away. 

“Kol sleeps like the dead,” Davina laughs, which earns a slight laugh and nod from the older man in front of her, who seems to fondly remember the same. “If I were to just wait for him to wake up before starting the day, who even knows if we would be up before one in the afternoon, sometimes.” 

“Very well, love; what are your plans for the day, besides the obvious party?” Klaus asks as they begin walking together toward the kitchen (Davina isn’t sure what’s happening, but she’s decided not to question it). 

Usually, conversations between her and Klaus (though mostly non-existent), are laced with questions and subtle interrogations, as he tries to deduce whether or not she’s after their family’s money or if she’s somehow using Kol (the irony of that one isn’t lost on her). Right now, Klaus seems like a (somewhat) regular guy, like the weird, yet charming older brother of the guy she’s going to marry rather than the guy who thinks everyone has hidden motives (which, she guesses, is now just  _ Finn’s  _ role).

“Well, I’ll probably offer to help set-up and make sure everything is running smoothly, then I’ll maybe make a call or two to my friends and co-workers back home to make sure everything is going well in New York, and after that, I’m not sure. Kol was tasked with coming up with our daily plans since I’m practically a fish out of water,” Davina jokes, resisting the urge to laugh at her comment as Klaus just nods (has she ever seen him laugh? Does he know how?).

A semi-comfortable silence falls between them and Davina questions her choice to attempt to joke with her companion; clearly, he wasn’t in a  _ joking _ mood, though she doubts he ever is. Instead of attempting some other sort of conversation, she simply observes her surroundings and, every once in awhile, sneaks a quick glance at Klaus, who seems lost in thought.

“What are your-”

“Davina!” Rebekah rushes toward her, effectively stopping whatever weird pleasantry she was about to ask. The blonde looks perfectly dressed, even for eight in the morning (which is somewhat disheartening), a cup of coffee dangling from her fingers. Glancing at the blonde, Davina can see that Rebekah looks perfectly composed, except for the fact that she isn’t wearing any shoes and strands of her blonde hair are sticking up in every direction, a clear indication that she’s been running her hands frantically through it already this morning (the brunette had seen her doing it while they were finalizing the plans yesterday, noticing that it was kind of her stress reliever).

“Morning Rebekah,” Davina greets with a smile and wave, though the blonde quickly takes her arm and drags her away from Klaus, not even acknowledging her brother (Davina figures she’s probably still upset about the whole ‘bar brawl that led to a few hours in jail’ thing).

“Where have you been? I have been waiting for you so that I could fill you in on all the details about today for the past hour,” Rebekah remarks, taking a quick moment to look at her companion, before handing her the cup of coffee she had been holding, deciding the shorter girl likely needed it more.

“I’m sure that you’re aware that your brother sleeps like the dead,” Davina says breezily, as if it’s explanation enough (and it seems to be, given Rebekah doesn’t ask any further questions). 

“I hadn’t pegged you for a fan of Jimmy Eat World,” Rebekah laughs, leading the brunette into what looks like a study of some sort, walls of books surrounding them. Davina chuckles as she looks toward her current outfit, a t-shirt from the band that swallows her whole, before shrugging slightly.

“We went to see them in concert a couple of years ago,” Davina explains simply. “Wasn’t there something urgent you needed to discuss?”

The words send Rebekah into a long ramble about hair appointments, nail appointments, and how she’s suddenly worried she hasn’t found the perfect dress yet, wanting one that will emphasize her beautiful engagement ring without taking any sort of attention from it (she shows the brunette the diamond for the first time and Davina’s eyes double in size when she sees the 6-karat elongated diamond that practically swallows her entire finger).

“So, I was wondering if you could break free from my brother and join us? Hayley convinced Klaus to watch over Hope for the day and Caroline is coming, too!” Rebekah smiles, though it seems she’s pleading more than usual (Davina tells herself it’s because she likes having someone close in age around, rather than the idea that the blonde might actually like her; she doesn’t want to think like that).

“Given that he’s still sleeping, I’m sure what he doesn’t know won’t kill him,” Davina assures the girl with a laugh, which draws one from the blonde, who leads her back to the main area, instructing her that a car is coming to pick them up in ten minutes (apparently, Rebekah never learned to drive and Caroline, though she can drive in America, is not exactly street legal in London).

As they part ways, Davina takes a deep breath before opening the door to Kol’s room, where the man is still laying on the bed, though he’s sprawled out, taking up the entire space, including her pillow. Quickly locating her old Adidas shoes and running a brush through her hair, she scribbles a quick note before turning back toward the door. Just as she’s about to leave, she allows her gaze to linger once more on the man in front of her before shaking her head and leaving the room.

* * *

He wakes up to an empty bed and a note that’s likely written for him, sitting on his bedside table. Wondering for a brief moment how early Davina actually wakes up, he groggily reaches for the paper, squinting his eyes to read her handwriting in the dark.

_ Kol, _

_ Got swept up in Rebekah’s last-minute party planning needs, which involve manicures, hair appointments, and apparently, finding the perfect dress. Will hopefully see you before the party tonight, but if I don’t, I’m sorry! If you don’t see me again, please mourn my loss and let it be known that your sister is a force of nature when it comes to beauty routines. God I’m going to die today, aren’t I? _

_ Call if you need  _ _ anything _ _ and I’ll let you know when I think we’ll be back! _

_ -Davina _

He rubs a hand over his face, allowing the paper to fall from his fingers and immediately regretting the first action, seeing as his cheek is still bruised and swollen. 

Seeing as there’s no mention of their late night discussion, he allows himself to dwell in the fact that she likely doesn’t remember what they had said: it’s better this way, since he isn’t necessarily sure what he’s feeling, let alone how he would’ve wanted her to react, but it still stings a little. It’s the outcome he had been hoping for and expecting, but that doesn’t mean he hadn’t dreamt of what it might be like for her to just  _ understand  _ like she always seemed to about everything else.

* * *

“You look bloody gorgeous in that dress,” Rebekah compliments as she stares at herself in the mirror, briefly looking over her shoulder to look at the brunette behind her, who looks frozen, as if only truly seeing herself for the first time. 

“Thanks,” Davina mutters, running a hand gently over the soft silk of the skirt, lost in thought.

When Kol had told her about his situation a few years ago, she had thought it would be a ‘one and done’ type of situation, and even after they had performed their roles as loving boyfriend and girlfriend, she had never let herself think about the possibility of getting attached to the Mikaelson’s or what would happen after they decided to end things. Lately, however, it’s like there’s a voice taunting her, reminding her that she’s stringing along good people, that she’s doing a bad thing to undeserving people who all simply wanted the best for their son/brother. Yeah, they were sometimes a little pretentious and not necessarily people she would associate with on a daily basis, but they were his family and she would give anything to be a part of something like what he has.

“I’m sorry that Caroline and Hayley got called away,” Davina says after a moment, making eye contact with the blonde through the mirror. Though both older women had been looking forward to spending time with the other two, Klaus had called during their manicures, saying that he and Elijah had tried everything, but Hope had come down with a fever and, although Keelin was on the way, he felt it would be best that Hayley be there with their daughter. Hayley had insisted that Caroline join her, claiming that she wouldn’t be able to handle a panicked Klaus along with a fever-ridden daughter, and the two had left abruptly, expressing their apologies as they rushed home.

“It’s fine, really. Hope is a great kid and I would hate for anything bad to happen to her,” Rebekah pauses, as if she’s going to continue the statement, but she stops herself, not wanting to sound spoiled or self-centered (she’s keenly aware that the brunette once thought of her as both). 

“Rebekah, it’s perfectly natural for you to be a little upset about them not being able to stay with us today, but this is your day: you should be focusing on how this is bringing you one step closer to forever,” Davina smiles, trying to seem reassuring and recounting something Cami had once told her (she was, admittedly, a bit of a wreck after things with Tim ended). 

“Actually, Davina, it’s our day. We are both one step closer to happiness and, though I never thought I would say this, I’m glad we’re doing this together. Kol is one lucky guy.” Rebekah’s smile is warm and genuine, it creates a sinking in Davina’s stomach, though the brunette smiles and nods in return as if nothing is wrong.

She can’t help herself from thinking about how poorly things are going to go once the truth is revealed, once Kol finally does what is (clearly) the right thing and tells his family all about the ruse they’ve been putting on. For a brief moment, she thinks about just leaving the boutique and getting on a plane back to America, unable to face the consequences of her actions, but she stays put: though it had been Kol’s idea, she had helped deceive everyone and it would be wrong to leave him to face the consequences alone.

“I’m the lucky one,” Davina replies, looking back at her reflection once more, hearing the truth ring in her statement. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's kind of crazy to post two chapters in one day for me, but I've just been writing so much lately and have been (admittedly) a little anxious for everyone to see the way I have envisioned this story ending (but that's a ways off). I guess I was never super patient and, with the chapters just sitting around, I thought this would help quell my impatience.

“You look amazing,” Kol smiles, standing behind her in their bathroom mirror as she prepares herself for the party: admittedly, she doesn’t have to do much herself, considering she and Rebekah spent the day having other people prepare them, but there are still a few things she needs to do herself (like out on her dress, select the right shoes, question her sanity for the thousandth time today). Sparing Kol a glance in the mirror, she notices that he’s clearly already dressed, wearing a classic black suit and a tie that hasn’t been done yet, that matches her dress perfectly (she’s sure Rebekah is to thank). 

“Thanks, it only took endless hours and unspeakable things I don’t feel comfortable mentioning now or _ever_ ,” Davina laughs, thinking about just how much wax and oils were involved (apparently Rebekah had thought they should go the full mile instead of just stopping at what everyone could see). Resisting the urge to run a hand through her perfectly done and heavily hairspray-ed chocolate locks, she finds herself looking back into the mirror, meeting Kol’s gaze almost instantly, as if he had been expecting it.

“D, whatever those professionals did only helped enhance your beauty, but you’re beautiful all on your own,” Kol mutters, eyes trained in hers, as if looking away will diminish the meaning of his words. 

She’s hypnotized, blushing slightly as she holds his gaze in the mirror, unsure of what to say in response (would ‘thanks’ be too awkward?). 

“Davina? Are you ready yet?” Caroline’s voice rings from outside Kol’s bedroom door, causing both of them to break eye contact as she scrambles to pick up the various beauty products spread across the counter, Kol watching her silently. 

“Almost,” She calls back quickly, shoving various products into the blue bag she brought, before turning toward Kol and his loose tie, her fingers beginning to quickly knot the satin, the garment cool in her hands. 

“As a member of high society, I refuse to believe you haven’t learned how to do this on your own,” She mutters softly, eyes narrowed in concentration, her tongue poking slightly out of her mouth, in a way that happens subconsciously. 

“I think everyone will agree that I’m the worst member of high-class society,” Kol chuckles, standing still, eyes trained on the woman in front of him. “Besides, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but when I was living in London, I was notably unpredictable and wild, a shame to the Mikaelson name.”

It’s a little self-deprecating, though honest; he watches carefully as Davina cringes at the words, reminding herself that it is his reputation that created this situation, his parents’ desire to _tame_ him and his own wish to show everyone that he has changed that began this lie in the first place.

“Maybe so, but I’m sure everyone thinks differently about you now,” Davina says, taking a step away from him to admire her handiwork as a hand run along the collar of his shirt, adjusting it so that the tie is perfectly placed. “And, even if they don’t by the end of the night, _I_ know that you aren’t that guy anymore and so do you.”

Gently, she touches the bruise on his cheek that is being concealed with multiple layers of foundation and Rebekah’s pure will, the blonde insisting that it needed to be covered for the high profile event (Davina had laughed while Kol protested, claiming that the bruise gave him a sense of charm and danger, which had only made Davina laugh harder). He flinched slightly under her touch, though she can see that he’s trying to control his reaction, to control how much the action actually hurts.

“Are you ready to go out there?” Kol questions, offering her his hand with a smile, looking like the gentleman they both know he avoids being. He’s a little nervous, knowing that there’s no way Esther would allow Mikael to miss such a high profile event and that this is perhaps the biggest hurdle in their charade, but Davina’s words bring him a sense of comfort and ease. 

“Of course,” She smiles, lacing their hands together and gently pulling him out of the bathroom, quickly flipping off the lights as she goes, mentally preparing herself for the crowd that awaits.

* * *

“So, Ms. Davina Claire, tell me a little about yourself,” Damon Salvatore insists as he corners the duo near the ice sculpture, taking a moment to watch as they whisper back and forth with wide smiles before making his presence known. Kol tenses at the sound of his voice, remembering interactions with the darker haired man that he would like to forget, while Davina just smiles brightly, as if she isn’t looking at someone who constantly teased and mocked her fiancé during their youth (to her defense, she doesn’t know about it, but Kol still finds himself internally cringing). 

“Well, I’m from New Orleans and I met Kol during my freshman year at Columbia, in a psych class we took together,” Davina smiles, her hand squeezing Kol’s lightly, quickly realizing that they hadn’t discussed her past when they were going through the various details of their fake romance. “I work in the city as an interior designer for a pretty big firm and my main task is working with people who want to help flip their brownstones, which is always interesting because they each hold so much New York history.”

“Did you instantly fall in love with Kol?” Suddenly, easily, Davina notices that Damon has changed from being conversational and lighthearted to determined and interrogative, as if it’s second nature to him.

“No,” She laughs, sharing a look with the boy in question and thinking about the actual first time they had met and the embarrassment she had felt about it afterwards. “My high school sweetheart and I were still dating at the time, but we broke up a little less than a year later due to scheduling conflicts and the fact that we just weren’t the same people anymore. After that, it was a few months until Kol and I went on our first date, which had been a part of a dare.”

Admittedly, there had been a dare and an outing between the two, but it hadn’t been as romantic as they are now making it seem, though both have occasionally wondered what might have happened if it had. Instead of realizing that there was no one else in the restaurant they wanted to be with and that there was chemistry between them, they had followed through with their bet, desperate to prove their friends wrong: Kol selected some finance major with perfectly gelled hair and his daddy’s credit card for her, while she found him some bottle blonde she thought she recognized from one of her design classes (apparently it hadn’t been the same girl). They had both suffered through hours of brainless conversation about what yacht _Ethan’s_ family owned and which housewife of Atlanta _Jasmine_ thought was overrated, ending the night early though promising not to tell Cami and Josh what a disaster it had been (they _weren’t_ stuck up, just _selective_ ). It hadn’t ended in any sort of realization or declaration, other than the one in which they proudly (drunkenly) insisted that their friends just didn’t have any _standards_ regarding the people they chose to date (Cami’s latest boyfriend, Jackson, had worn flannel shirts and jeans with holes _every day_ , talking as if he was in the southern countryside, rather than in the bustling city). 

“Our friends thought we were too picky, we decided to go on a date, where we would set one another up with someone of our choosing, but no one had been good enough for Davina,” Kol smiles, making brief eye contact with her as he thinks about Ethan: apparently he should’ve known that she hated ‘pretentious assholes’ (her own wording as they were leaving the bar they went to after their failed date). 

“We spent the whole night criticizing everyone around us until we realized that there was a reason we thought no one else was good enough for the other; I didn’t want to think about someone else being with Kol,” Davina finishes, mentally screaming at herself that it was a mistake to ground their lie in the truth: it _had_ been hard to find the ‘perfect girl’ for Kol because she _might_ have been a little jealous, but instead of thinking rationally, she blindly selected a girl she thought she knew, pushing those feelings aside.

“That’s actually kind of sweet,” A brunette coos as she wraps an arm around Damon, gluing herself to his side and shooting him a look that Davina recognizes instantly, one that says ‘don’t you dare say anything _mean_ right now.’ “I’m Elena Gilbert.”

“Davina,” She offers, smiling at the brunette before gently leading Kol away from the duo and more toward the center of the room, trying to scope out (and effectively avoid) Mikael, who she hasn’t seen.

* * *

“Congratulations son,” Mikael Mikaelson says grimly as he makes his way toward Davina and Kol, following a speech Esther has made about the family growing and how much love she and Mikael have for all its members (Kol had tried not to roll his eyes, but he couldn’t help himself). “You must be Davina.”

His words lack any sort of prominent emotion and his expression is carefully blank, though guarded, as if waiting for his son to revert back into the young boy he once was, leaving a trail of disaster and heartbreak in his wake.

“Yes Mr. Mikaelson.” It’s weirdly formal and she resists the urge to bow, feeling as if she’s greeting one of the royal family members rather than her fake fiance’s dad: though Rebekah and Kol had shared multiple stories about the older man, especially within the last couple of days, she still feels ill-prepared for this meeting. “It is nice to meet you, sir.”

“You can call me Mikael,” He mutters, giving her a once over, looking for any clear imperfections or deformities, before gesturing for the young couple to follow him as he makes his way away from the large crowd. “Esther has been telling me so much about you, Ms. Claire, especially since her little visit to New York.”

“It was lovely showing her around the city,” Davina replies with a smile, squeezing Kol’s hand like a life force, feeling as if she’s somehow failing at this conversation, desperately floundering for something appropriate to say. While she has never been someone who relies on the opinions of others, she feels compelled to want _Mikael_ to like her, and the knowledge that she is seemingly failing at the task makes her feel slightly sick. 

“Tell me about your family, Ms. Claire. Esther mentioned you were from New Orleans: which part?” Mikael leads them into his study, which is somewhat similar to the library she had been in with Rebekah the other day, though there is a large, expensive-looking desk in the middle, with two chairs sitting on the other side (he gestures for the duo to each have a seat and suddenly Davina feels as if this is a business meeting rather than a personal one).

“I’m from the French Quarter,” Davina says easily, though she pauses for a moment, considering what she should say about her family. “My father left my mother and I when I was a baby and my mother passed away when I was six.”

Kol, ever the actor, looks unphased by this information, though he squeezes her hand tightly, as if expressing his sorrow about the situation: he had known that her family was no longer around thanks to various conversations with Josh and Cami, where they implied such, but he hadn’t realized what actually happened.

“I am sorry to hear that, Ms. Claire,” Mikael mutters, his eyebrows raised as he makes eye contact with the petite brunette, actually sounding somewhat sympathetic about the situation. Davina nods, knowing that he is likely thinking about the death of his own son, softly smiling at the older man.

“After she passed away, I spent some time in the foster care system, before eventually going to live with a friend and their family,” Davina continues, her eyes falling to her lap, feeling a sense of hopelessness as she remembers how horrible her time had been as a child, moving from house to house, each family sympathetic, though unable to truly care for her, worried about what had happened. “After high school, I attended Columbia and studied art and architecture, eventually becoming an interior designer.”

“Quite an uplifting story,” Mikael comments, looking slightly breathless, as if he hadn’t expected to hear such a tale from the beautiful woman in front of him. 

In past interrogations, he had heard different stories, though his other children seemed to select partners who were from modest, middle-class families that knew very little struggle. The only story that could even rival the brunette’s, in his mind, was that of Marcel Gerard, who had been the child of his father’s mistress and maid, living a life in the shadows, but it hardly compared to Davina’s story. 

“I don’t mean to seem harsh, Ms. Claire, but I just want to ensure that my children have found the best.” 

“Of course,” Davina smiles, gripping Kol’s hand once more, as if trying to gauge how he had thought the interaction went, though his hand is somewhat motionless in her own, his eyes wide as if still surprised by her story. “If you will excuse us, _Mikael_ , Rebekah will kill us if we miss any more of this party.”

* * *

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kol mumbles as they make their way through the long corridors of the Mikaelson compound, stalling their entrance to the party. He had been stunned and silent when hearing her story, but now that he’s away from his father’s scrutiny, he has a million questions that have been unanswered since they met.

“It’s a sad story, Kol, and it’s no that important. We all have a past,” Davina sighs, turning down another hallway, trying to navigate her way back toward the awaiting guests, not wanting to have this conversation. 

“Davina,” He stops, halting her desperate attempt to keep walking and keep composed, carefully scanning her face, noticing the glassiness of her eyes and the slight tremble of her lips as he pulls her toward him, wanting to comfort her in any way possible.

“If you need  anything , let me know,” Kol mumbles, placing a soft kiss on her head as he runs a hand slowly up and down her back in what he hopes is a soothing pattern. “Everything is going to be alright.”


	12. Chapter 12

“Rise and shine sleepyheads!” Rebekah calls cheerfully, standing at the end of their bed, as if it isn’t weird that she let herself into their room without any warning. Davina rolls slightly, nuzzling further into Kol, while he just groans and throws an arm over his eyes, as if not being able to see the light will stop it from being morning. Trying not to smile at the sight, the blonde considers retreating back to her own childhood room, where Marcel is likely still sleeping, before reminding herself that she spent hours before the duo’s arrival making their plans for the day. 

“This is serious! Time to get up!” Rebekah insists, debating pulling back the covers off the bed (she doesn’t, because she’s unsure of what she’ll see, praying that her brother sleeps with clothing on). After a few moments of clearing her throat and opening the blinds to allow light to stream into the room, both Kol and Davina groan, blearily opening their eyes before turning toward Rebekah, as if waiting to hear what she’s about to say before they return to their slumber. 

“Why are we awake?” Kol questions with a yawn, a hand rubbing his cheek, which is still bruised, though the swelling has started to go down. 

After spending hours socializing and flaunting their fake relationship, Kol had declared that they should spend the next day tucked away in their room sleeping and Davina had eagerly agreed, adding that she couldn’t take another minute of fake smiling or pretending to understand the struggles of which location to vacation at (her fake accent sent them both into fits of giggles). 

“We are all spending the day together doing a walking tour of London!” Rebekah announces, pulling out two pairs of Nike sneakers from behind her back, as if new shoes is enough to coax the clearly comfortable couple out of the warmth of their bed and into whatever tourist traps Rebekah had deemed ‘notable.’ Kol eyes the sneakers suspiciously, wondering who ‘we’ entails and how many cups of coffee his sister had already had, while Davina stretches a little, her body stuff from laying remotely still all night (she’s glad that she and Kol decided to share the bed, though, considering it would look weird if Rebekah walked in on them in different locations). 

“Who is  _ we _ ?” Davina yawns, turning her back, reveling in the sound of the bones cracking, the popping noise filling the silence her question leaves in its wake, the blonde looking rather nervous to answer.

“Bex, who is all coming on the walking tour?” Kol repeats, looking at his sister expectantly, suddenly more interested given her newfound hesitation, wondering what his sister had planned.

“Klaus and Caroline are watching Hope for the day, so they wanted to stay at the compound: I think they’re thinking about potentially having another child and they wanted to discuss the idea with her,” Rebekah informs them, deciding to list the family members that would  _ not _ be in attendance, rather than the ones who would. “Elijah and Hayley are spending the day with her family, since they came to town for the party.” 

Hayley, who is originally from Australia, had been hesitant to invite her parents to such a lavish event, especially considering the fact that they were still suspicious of the Mikaelson family, but they had agreed to come for a couple of days and Esther had arranged for them to stay at the nicest hotel in the city. 

“Finn and Sage are spending some time with their kids.” This is not a surprise to any of the three people in the room, given the fact that the duo had spent most of their time with their young children: Sage constantly voiced her concerns about leaving them and even Finn, who seemed the least parental of the bunch, disliked entrusting their children with any of the babysitters they had hired. 

“Freya and Keelin said they needed some time alone today.” Rebekah lists and, for a moment, Kol is envious of them, wishing for his own time alone with Davina (the voice in his head reminds him that he had endless amounts of time with her when they’re in New York, but he can’t help feeling like it isn’t the same). 

“So then it’s Kol and I, you and Marcel?” Davina asks, eyebrow raised as if silently questioning why Rebekah didn’t just blatantly state that. It was no secret that Rebekah had been emphasizing the potential  _ connection _ that could form between she and Marcel and, while she understands Kol’s distaste for the taller man might have created some hesitation within the blonde, it also seemed clear that Rebekah was going out of her way to create situations for the two men, hoping that they would warm to one another and get past old grievances. 

“As I already said, the others were all occupied,” Rebekah responds breezily, trying to think of counter arguments her brother is likely going to make, a somewhat sour look stretching across his face. 

“Actually Rebekah, Davina and I-“

“-would love to go.” Davina interrupts the man beside her, shooting him a slight glare before smiling brightly at the blonde, wondering if she’s going to leave the room of if she intends to just watch them for the rest of the morning to ensure they don’t escape without her (honestly, Davina thinks they are both likely options).

“We would?” Kol questions, looking toward Davina, confusion swirling in his brown eyes. He looks like someone who got invited to a party last minute and is hesitant about attending, though she can also see the slight hurt reflected in his eyes, an emotion she selfishly doesn’t want to think about.

“Of course we would,” Davina says simply, smiling toward the blonde, pretending not to notice how surprised her  _ fiancé  _ sounded, as if ignoring it would simply make it go away (she had learned over the years that this was, sadly, not the case). “Rebekah, if you would give us a few moments alone.”

The blonde nods eagerly, exclaiming that she’ll be back in half an hour so they can leave together, before quickly slipping out of the room, leaving behind a still confused (and slightly hurt) Kol in her wake.

“Why are we going on this dumb double date with Bex and  _ Marcel _ ? I thought we were just going to lay low today,” Kol mumbles, sinking back into his pillows, throwing the comforter over his head as he quickly tries to fall back asleep, hoping that if he isn’t awake, he won’t have to do whatever Rebekah has planned for them. “We’ve spent so much time with my family already, I feel like I hardly see you, D.”

“You see me all the time, Kol, especially when we’re in the city, without your family watching our every move,” Davina laughs, pulling the comforter away from his body and off the bed, earning a groan and mumbled response from the brunette beside her. “Besides, Rebekah and Marcel will probably be so focused on one another that they will totally forget that we’re there: your family is great and they clearly love you, but it’s time to break away from the compound.”

“Darling, you make it sound like we’re fugitives, running from the law, rather than family,” Kol laughs, which Davina takes as a victory, knowing that he’s at least somewhat in agreement with her (he figures he probably owes her, considering the fact that they’re still in the middle of the latest favor she's doing for him, which had involved a strange amount of kissing the night before).

“Honestly Kol, your family is lovely, but it feels like they’re watching our every move. At least either Marcel there, Rebekah will be distracted.” Davina states somewhat confidently. “I know we wanted to hide away in here all day, but that was a pipe dream, someone would’ve come looking for us, eventually.”

“Fine,” He sighs, relenting to his friend's logic, though he seems reluctant to do so. “But, if we end up looking at any sort of potential wedding venues or she suggests we have some sort of weird double wedding, you’re going to owe me one.”

Davina laughs but nods, searching her bag for her camera and taking a moment to admire the new shoes Rebekah bought her, finding it slightly weird that the blonde guessed her size correctly.

* * *

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Kol mumbles quietly as they enter some fancy church neither of them can remember the name of, Marcel and Rebekah eagerly chatting a few steps ahead of them, clearly envisioning how their wedding might look if held at this church. Though they had visited a few tourist locations early in the morning, Rebekah had suggested they simply take a few tours of the churches in the area ‘for future reference,’ which had led them to this current moment, entering the fourth church of many, which Kol thinks looks exactly like the other three had (big, gothic, God-centric, perhaps a little dusty).

“How was I supposed to know they scheduled appointments for us to do this with?” Davina questions, though keeps a smile plastered across her face, in case anyone turns to look at them, which has been happening occasionally (Kol scowls each time). 

“ _ I  _ had a feeling this might happen, but  _ you _ insisted that we should go. You totally owe me for this,” Kol mutters, scowling as his sister turns toward them, her arms raised as she talk about the two of them with whatever officiant she is currently consulting with. 

“There’s no way she had  _ all  _ of this scheduled before we got here: she didn’t even know we were engaged until we stepped off the plane,” Davina defends, trying to figure out what Rebekah had been thinking, taking them on this extravagant tour of various chapels and cake tastings (she assumes planning a wedding registry and trying some of the best caterers in the city were next on the blonde’s itinerary). “Maybe she had thought this would be a subtle way to suggest we should get married?”

“Maybe she’s completely lost all traces of sanity and should be committed,” Kol quips sarcastically, smiling sweetly when his sister turns once more, clearly realizing that they are opening discussing her (his voice had risen significantly since the conversation started, irritation seeping into his tone). 

“Lower your voice,” Davina scolds him, gently nudging him while waving at his sister, motioning that everything is fine. “She might have weird methods, but it seems like Rebekah had honest intentions and, if we  _ were _ a newly engaged couple looking to plan our wedding, I’m sure we would be more grateful than you’re being. Somehow, she managed to get us appointments at the fanciest locations.”

“This was probably  _ mother’s  _ idea,” Kol reasons after a moment of contemplation, his face screwed in concentration as he tries to think about what might have even prompted someone to plan such an outing. “She probably wants to make sure that we get married in London.”

“ _ If  _ we were actually getting married, we would probably have to consider it,” Davina whispers, shrugging as if her statement is completely thought out and rational, though the wide eyed look Kol sends her suggests otherwise. “I mean, your entire family is here: when you actually get married,  _ for real,  _ you will want to think about and compare costs of having it in London versus New York or wherever else.”

“I don’t think I’m going to get married,” He shrugs, his voice hardly loud enough for himself to hear, though Davina nods, clearly understanding his sentiment, a smile breaking out on her face as she thinks about the irony of the situation.

“Interesting choice: from forever bachelor to committed and doting fiancé, and then back to bachelor once more,” Davina smirks, her voice teasing as she resists the urge to laugh at the idea. “I must have really done a number on you after we ended the engagement.”

“Of course you did, you broke my-“

“Davina?” A familiar voice interrupts the rest of Kol’s playful response and both quickly turn to see Tim standing behind them, violin case sling over his shoulder, looking extremely confused.

“Tim?” Davina echoes softly, feeling frozen in time as she stared at her ex-boyfriend, a million questions racing through her mind. She feels suddenly suffocated by the situation, her mouth opening and closing as she tries to formulate the right response, to find the right question to ask.

“Kol, Davina, I see you’ve met Tim! Tim, this is the couple I was telling you about on the phone!” Rebekah smiles, making her way toward her brother and his fiancé, who both look as if they’ve seen a ghost (to their defense, the dark haired man in front of them also seems to pale at her statement). 


	13. Chapter 13

Kol watches nervously as Tim and Davina talk on the other side of the glass, the former insisting that whatever conversation they needed to have should be done in _private_ (Kol hadn’t loved the way _Tim_ looked at him, as if suggesting he was the problem, but he hadn’t protested, telling himself that Davina was a grown woman who could make her own decisions, even if he found them incredibly _dumb_ ). Watching as they laugh and smile, he feels waves of anxiety roll over him as countless possibilities swirl inside his brain: perhaps they are talking about reuniting or she’s explaining their complicated situation and having a laugh at his expense (logically, he doubts either is happening, though logic isn’t necessarily being considered at the moment). 

“Maybe you should step away from the glass, brother,” Rebekah suggests, causing him to look away from the couple in front of him, glaring at the blonde who helped orchestrate this situation. He allows himself to place all of the blame on his sister: it was _her_ fault that they were touring churches and wedding venues, _her_ fault that they were in London to celebrate her engagement party, and, most importantly, _her_ fault that they started this farce of a relationship, anyways (he rationalizes that, if Rebekah hadn’t met Davina on her first day in the city, when he had been setting up the movie and the brunette had answered his door, he likely would have selected someone else to take her place in this charade) (he knows that isn’t true, but he allows himself to think it, anyways, too caught up in his own head to process anything).

“What do you think they’re saying?” He mumbles, turning back toward the window, watching as Davina tucks a lock of chocolate curls behind her ear, her smile stretching widely across her face. 

Though he’s never felt this way before, he can easily identify the feeling as jealousy, though he isn’t sure if it’s because Davina was currently helping him fool his family or because of the feelings he’s (maybe) been developing for her that he’s too afraid to name (that’s a lie, too, but he doesn’t want to think about whatever feelings he might have for the brunette if she’s considering getting back together with _Tim_ ).

“Listen man, whatever they’re saying, it isn’t important. You and Davina are engaged and, even if you weren't, I’ve seen the way that girl looks at you: you have nothing to worry about,” Marcel smiles encouragingly, earning him a slight smile from Kol and a grin from Rebekah. “Whatever happened between them was in the past; you two are building something for the future.”

Marcel’s words, while well-meaning, send a sinking feeling to the pit of his stomach as he thinks about the fact that they _aren’t_ really planning for a future, only pretending to. That’s all this is: pretend. At the end of the week, they would be on a flight back to New York, laughing about the week they spent tricking his family into believing they were engaged, not mentioning any of the lingering feelings they (he) felt or the conflicting emotions they (he) feared had become tied up in their charade.

It’s as if there’s suddenly a timer, ticking away every second that they spend together, in a way he (somewhat, secretly) wishes they could in New York.

* * *

“Darling, how did the conversation with _Timothy_ go?” Kol asks in a showy fashion, wrapping an arm around the brunette as she returns to his side after maybe 10 or so minutes, his words exaggerated in a fashion that earns confused looks from all three of his companions, though Marcel’s seems to be laced with sympathy and understanding (both of which he dislikes).

“Well, he says hello to all of you and that he’s sorry he couldn’t stay and chat, but he actually had band practice,” Davina replies, lying through her teeth, her gaze steadily trained on her fake fiance beside her, who seems different than he had when she had left. 

Admittedly, she had been hesitant to step away from her companions to speak with Tim, first worried about how it might appear to Rebekah and Marcel, which was followed by a fear of how Kol might react, given that Tim’s presence would surely set back their facade. When speaking with him, she kept one eye on her watch at all times, to ensure that the conversation ended as soon as possible and, though she had to explain the whole _‘Kol and I are getting married thing_ ’ (which had started Tim on a long rant about how he _always_ suspected there were feeling between the two friends), she thought the interaction went as well as it possibly could.

“It’s probably for the better, anyways, it would be so awkward to be the fifth wheel at the cake tasting I have scheduled,” Rebekah comments breezily, as if that is the only problem that would arise with Tim’s looming presence, as if her brother wasn’t extremely jealous only moment before Davina’s return. 

“Tim has celiacs,” Kol and Davina respond in unison, which has Marcel and Rebekah sharing a look of confusion and wonder, watching closely as Davina shoots Kol a strange look, non-verbally asking how he remembers such a small detail about someone he hardly liked.

“We ate pizza constantly, darling: don’t think I didn’t notice how terrible it tasted when Tim was around,” Kol laughs, squeezing her arm gently, which draws an eye roll from the short brunette.

“Right? Josh and Cami always said it tasted perfectly fine but I always thought it was like eating cardboard,” Davina agrees, head-nodding enthusiastically, as if she’s finally found an ally who agrees with her pro-gluten choices (at the time, she had refrained from asking Kol, not wanting to hear about how much he disliked it, knowing she would feel immense guilt).

“You two are kind of perfect for one another,” Rebekah mumbles as she stares fondly at the brunettes, looking slightly wistful, though Kol and Davina both know that the blonde would never trade her romance with Marcel for anything, even the nicest shoes ever made. 

“I happen to think so,” Davina laughs as she wraps an arm around Kol’s waist, bringing them closer, a smile lighting up her face. She looks more carefree and happy than she had when she was talking with Tim, something Kol notes easily, trying not to compare himself with her former flame (and failing greatly).

“We are getting married, after all,” Kol adds, feeling her tense for a brief moment at the reminder of the lies they had been weaving, something unidentifiable flickering briefly in her blue eyes. He doesn’t question it, not wanting to cause a scene or blatantly make her uncomfortable in front of Rebekah and Marcel, but he notices it, nonetheless, and makes a mental note to mention it later.

If there’s something worrying her, he wants to know about it. 

He decides he’ll mention it right after he tries to hear all of the details from her conversation with _Tim_.

* * *

“It was nice spending the day with you,” Marcel smiles, looking toward the short brunette beside him as he allows himself to fall a few steps behind Rebekah and Kol, the blonde mumbling lowly about how this would be the perfect time to bond before chatting with her brother about family drama neither man seems interested in. 

“Same to you, Marcel! I mean, I think I got a real feel for your personality after you didn’t like that orange cake,” Davina jokes, nudging him playfully as she recalls how amazing she and Kol had agreed the moist cake was, a perfect combination of orange and chocolate that Marcel had found ‘too sweet.’ 

“Hey! You didn’t like the champagne and strawberry flavored one,” Marcel retorts, as if suddenly cake preference is all that matters, a wide smile spreading across his face as Davina’s nose crinkles, remembering how weird the cake had tasted.

“Yeah, boozy, it’s because I’m not a heavy drinker,” Davina quips easily, nudging her companion once more as she delivers the soft blow, sticking her tongue out slightly.

“I don’t know if anyone has told you this yet, but I think you and Kol are a perfect match,” Marcel states after a minute, his voice serious and low, as if he doesn’t want anyone else to hear what he’s saying (he, personally, has to strain to hear his own voice, though Davina nods as if she’s heard the statement). “It’s clear that you make one another happy and, honestly, you’re a breath of fresh air around the Mikaelson compound. Caroline and Keelin are great, Hayley is fun sometimes, and even Sage can be cool, but you’re kind of spunky: you do what you want, without caring how high society might react, and I like that about you.”

Davina laughs at the compliment, reflecting on how the other Mikaelson in-laws compare to Marcel: Caroline always seemed a little tense around Esther, as if afraid to say the wrong thing, and Sage acted as if she was the perfect person, effortlessly agreeing with Finn on almost every issue that arose. Hayley, Elijah’s girlfriend, had been nice and slightly less ‘high society,’ though she seemed a little weighed down by the fact that she and Klaus would always have a connection between them; the brief amount of time Davina had spent with the brunette had been nothing less than pleasant, but the brunette had seemed sleep deprived and exhausted, as if she was spreading herself too thin to accommodate Hope _and_ Klaus. 

In comparison, Marcel is different: though he gets along with the other Mikaelson’s and is best friends with Klaus, it’s clear to her that his allegiance is always with Rebekah. He’s the doting boyfriend and the friend who offers the blonde pieces of small guidance, such as ‘maybe you shouldn’t say that when your brother looks like he’s about to kill someone.’ Marcel doesn’t seem to care about high society or fancy parties, but he goes along with them because he’s marrying a girl who does care about those things. 

Keelin, Freya’s girlfriend that she’s only seen glimpses of, seems plenty nice, but she doesn’t really know anything about the woman other than what Kol told her before they left New York.

“Spunky? Do people even say that anymore _grandpa_?” Davina laughs teasingly, her eyes glittering with humor and happiness as they continue to walk past various high-end boutiques. Ahead of them, she can hear Rebekah likely informing Kol about all of the histories of the shops and the latest fashions she saw when she last visited them, and, for a second, she wonders if she should save her (fake) fiance from the torture he’s likely enduring. 

“I’m not a _grandpa_ young lady, I am your _elder_ ,” Marcel jokes, drawing Davina away from her thoughts of helping Kol and back to the present that she’s been enjoying with Marcel. 

“Sure,” Davina smiles, though her tone portrays her disbelief, her wide grin giving away any bite behind the sentiment. 

Before she can say anything else, Kol has appeared by her side, giving her a look that begs her not to protest as he quickly turns them in another direction, mumbling to Rebekah about how they made plans to go see some show. Marcel, who seems to understand what is happening, stifles a laugh while Rebekah looks unhappy about the development and her brother’s eagerness to get away from her.

“We will see you back at the house,” Kol calls as he picks up the pace of his steps, dragging Davina behind him as the brunette turns to wave at the couple they’re leaving.

“You hate _shows_ ,” Davina reminds him, laughing softly after she can no longer see Marcel and Rebekah.

“I hate shopping, too, and we both know that was clearly Rebekah’s next move,” Kol mutters, turning a random corner as he slightly slows, feeling as if he’s a safe distance away from his sister. Davina shudders at the idea of shopping with Rebekah _again_ , knowing that, though she did it a few days ago, once was _more_ than enough.

“Besides, you and I should have a few moments alone to talk about everything.”


	14. Chapter 14

“How was Tim?” Kol mumbles after a few moments of silence, hands stuffed into his pockets, looking (and feeling) somewhat like a thirteen-year-old, nervously wondering if the girl he (maybe) likes reciprocates his (possible) feelings. His mind is somewhat of a mess, the situation only making his blossoming feelings more confusing, but he realizes that somehow, in between insisting they needed to be the  _ perfect  _ fake couple and seeing Tim in London, things haven’t been as fake as he had once thought they were. These  _ feelings _ are confusing and complicated: he’s never really been a ‘relationship’ guy, a fact that he always has prided himself in, though now he just feels vulnerable and unsure what to do next.

“Good. Apparently his old band from Julliard is doing the whole London thing these days,” Davina shrugs, remembering the long hours she spent supporting the violinist and his ‘band,’ that mostly played folk covers of popular songs and the occasional Irish jig (it makes sense that they ended in Europe). Back in high school, she had thought that the band was  _ the _ coolest thing ever: they were a group of friends closer than any other she had ever seen, who all shared common passions and spent hours exploring them together. For a short week, she tried playing the triangle with them, but she quickly stopped after they minimized her parts and Tim gently told her that he preferred watching her as he played, rather than playing alongside her (at the time, she had swooned, not realizing what he was actually saying). “He said to tell you he hopes you’re doing well.”

It’s awkward, something both of them are aware of, but neither is sure how to ease the tension that surrounds them: Davina wonders, momentarily, if it stems from the fact that she hadn’t been extremely open and willing to tell anyone about what happened between she and her high school boyfriend beyond ‘he wanted to spend more time practicing his violin and I was hindering that,’ while Kol is caught up questioning if she’s about to tell him how wonderful it was to reconnect with her ex-boyfriend and say something about how they were going to try things again (sure, Marcel said he had nothing to worry about, but what did  _ Marcel _ know?).

“That’s… nice of him,” Kol mutters, shooting her a weak smile, at least trying to sound somewhat happy, though he knows it sounds completely forced (which it is). If it wasn’t Tim, Kol might be able to react somewhat differently, with a brighter smile and a joke about how he’s  _ always _ doing well, but it  _ is  _ Tim and, honestly, Kol isn’t sure how to respond.

“You know Tim, nice was pretty much his middle name,” Davina mutters, wrapping her arms around her somewhat defensively, instinctively. She thinks briefly about all the time she spent with Tim, growing up together, spending years learning to love him, adapting to his quirks, growing together: when they ended things a few years ago, they had both agreed that they changed in ways neither could explain, that it was just  _ time _ to go their separate ways, but that didn’t mean Tim was happy when she told him that she and Kol were engaged (she doesn’t know why she didn’t just tell the truth when he asked about the ring or think of a different lie, but she was somehow stuck, the  _ lie _ slipping easily off her tongue)(almost too easily). “He-uh, he wasn’t thrilled about the engagement.”

“Oh, you told him about the engagement?” He tries to sound nonchalant, though misses by a mile, curiosity and interest clearly evident in his tone. Glancing quickly toward her, he sees her fidgeting subconsciously with the ring on her left hand, looking forward, not daring to look in his direction, as if afraid he will berate her the second she does (he won’t, obviously, he’s just  _ surprised _ ).

“Well, he saw the ring and  _ you _ through the glass, staring at him, and I guess he put two and two together,” She lies, her eyes suddenly shifting toward the sidewalk, knowing that her lie is weak, even though it is based in truth. Tim  _ had  _ seen Kol through the window and noticed the ring, but she had been the one to connect the dots for him, softly telling him the fake backstory she and Kol had created, explaining the intricate details of their (fake) relationship and how happy the man on the other side of the glass made her (blushing, she had realized that part wasn’t a lie). “I guess, in some way, he had always thought that maybe we-”

Her voice trails off at the implication, though Kol can easily fill in the blanks: though they had broken up a few years ago, Tim had thought maybe they would find their way back to one another, that after time apart, their bond would be stronger than ever.

“And do you think that? I mean, one day, once this whole charade is over, do you think that you’d want to be with Tim again?” He’s hesitant to ask, his voice hardly above a whisper, though he knows that he has to ask the question, if only for his own sanity. His eyes are trained carefully one her, cautiously watching every movement she makes, as if even the slightest motion will provide the answer to his question.

“No,” Davina shrugs, running a hand through her loose curls, thinking for a moment about a time she  _ had _ thought they would get married: it had been her dream for most of her teen years, desperately wishing they could spend their lives together, forever intertwined. “Tim and I dated for a long time, yeah, but I don’t think he and I will ever get back together. What we had was sweet, but it is also in the past; we are different, things are different between us now. I can’t even imagine a life where Tim and I end up together anymore. It’s been years since we even spoke for more than a few minutes.”

He nods easily, as if he understands her words and, while she thinks he’s trying to, she isn’t sure he really understands: after she and Tim had broken up, everyone had assumed that it would be temporary, that they were overreacting. Her friend, Monique, spent a week in New York with her, trying to persuade her that she was making a mistake. Cami had spent many late nights trying to psychoanalyze the situation and Josh had offered her  _ too many _ pints of ice cream, smiling and saying that everything would work out. For a while, she had genuinely thought that things might fix themselves, that she and Tim  _ would _ still get back together, but she has since moved past those hopes and accepted reality.

“We grew up together: I spent years loving Tim and I’ll never forget the times we had together, but I guess we both just wanted more,” Davina adds, her voice sounding far away, looking back toward Kol for the first time in their conversation, seeing understanding in his brown eyes.

* * *

They walk the rest of their journey in silence, both lost in thought as Kol leads them to one of his favorite places in the city, the London Library.

When they make it back to the compound, their laughter echoing off the concrete walls, it’s dark outside and hours after they left Marcel and Rebekah (Kol  _ had _ promised her that he had a long list of place to show her and decided to make good on that promise, not wanting to return to where his father likely was). 

Long gone were the awkward mentions of Tim and the jealousy Kol felt surrounding the younger boy, replaced with happier memories of spontaneous photoshoots at his favorite places and pretending to be tourists, cringingly asking people to take their photos while striking bizarre poses. 

“You two were gone for a while,” Esther comments with a smile as Kol and Davina make their way into the kitchen, having missed any sort of formal meal that might have taken place (on purpose). The older woman doesn’t look as chastizing as Kol had assumed she would (based on past experience), but rather simply amused by their antics and seemingly happy, an expression that seems genuine rather than forced for one of the only times in his life. Though he’s seen his mother be happy, it usually was due to the mass amount of people surrounding her, expecting that of her: she seemed to have smiled a lot more when he was younger, but he can’t remember what might have changed.

“I was showing Davina all of the best places in London,” Kol smiles, wrapping an arm around Davina’s shoulders, a movement that feels creepily natural (he would likely process that more once they were alone). “She’s never been before.”

“That’s lovely, dear,” Esther nods, pulling out a few Tupperware containers that held leftovers of whatever the chef had made them for the night (something more exquisite, Kol guessed, due to Mikael’s presence). “Your father is in his study, but he mentioned wanting to see you, Kol.”

“Now?” He questions, his smile fading slightly as he thinks about what his father could potentially want to discuss, the only possible option in his mind being his engagement. Certainly, he won’t allow Mikael to criticize Davina like he’s sure the older man is going to, though he’s a little curious as to what he could have possibly found wrong with the beautiful brunette beside him.

“As soon as you have a chance; that doesn’t have to mean now,” Esther winks, moving toward the microwaves and putting one of the dishes into it. Davina almost laughs at the fact that, though she’s in the expensive and exquisite Mikaelson compound, she’s eating something akin to a microwavable meal, something she and Josh eat frequently in their small apartment.

“Do you know what he wants to discuss?” Kol asks, waiting for his mother to confirm his suspicions, which she does when she quickly glances toward Davina before shifting her gaze. Looking toward the shorter girl, the brunette doesn’t seem to understand the connotations of a meeting with Mikael, something he’s thankful for, considering he had apparently pulled Hayley Marshall into his study for an hour-long talk when Elijah announced that they were dating (either Rebekah didn’t know what had been said in the meeting or, if she did, she hadn’t told him).

“Davina, tell me dear, how are you liking London?” Esther asks, trying to ease the tension in the room, her gaze settling back on the brunette, who looks happy and content next to her son, as if there’s nowhere else she’d rather be (it makes Esther smile seeing the couple this way, so calm and  _ happy _ ).

“It’s a little rainy,” Davina chuckles, thinking about the fact that she and Kol sprinted to multiple of his ‘must-see’ locations in complete downpour, soaking their clothes until they finally caved and bought new ones at one of the stores near. “Other than that, it’s beautiful, really, and Kol’s a great tour guide, though his affinity for libraries was certainly noted.”

“I don’t have an affinity for them, darling, I just like reading,” Kol quips with a smile, laughter sparkling in his brown eyes as he looks down at the girl beside him, the moment feeling all too real between them before the microwave beeps loudly, drawing them both away from the moment.

Esther watches their moment carefully, resisting the urge to coo when she sees it, warmth spreading throughout her body as she realizes how happy her son truly is.


	15. Chapter 15

Kol slowly makes his way to the study after eating a hefty portion of truffle mac and cheese (a delicacy he only eats when in London), not looking forward to whatever conversation he is about to have with the older man, knowing that his father is never truly pleased with him. 

When he was younger, he remembers thinking that Mikael was the harshest toward Klaus: later, he realized this was because Klaus was his  _ half _ -brother and wasn’t actually Mikael’s child, not that it justified the amount of cruelty he showed the older boy. By the time he came along, Finn and Freya were already clearly his parent’s favorites and, as a middle child who longs for attention, he acted out, desperate to be noticed in the Mikaelson fold. 

However, his acting out had gained him a ‘wild child’ image, which is sort of what created this whole mess: Mikael’s desire to show all of his friends and business partners that his youngest son had finally seen the light and  _ changed _ , no longer a complete embarrassment to the Mikaelson name.

Taking a deep breath and a moment to wonder what Davina might be doing, he opens the door to the study slightly, not bothering to knock, more than willing to turn around if his father is (even slightly) occupied.

“Kol, I’ve been expecting you, please sit,” Mikael announces the second he sees the door move, watching as his youngest son hesitantly widens the gap and steps into the office, clearly unsettled. “I’m glad your mother passed on the message that I was looking for you, she seemed a little anxious about it.”

The younger man remains silent, though he takes a seat opposite his father, cautiously watching the older man, as if trying to guess what the man is going to say.

“I did some research about Davina, son, and there are some things that I found  _ alarming _ ,” He pauses and Kol isn’t sure whether it’s for dramatic effect or the need to think of the right words to say, though neither reasoning sits well with him, considering his father did something Kol wished he hadn’t: sure, he had questions about Davina’s past (she made sure he knew next to  _ nothing _ ), but he had hoped  _ she  _ would eventually come around to telling him herself. 

“You shouldn’t have,” Kol mutters, glaring slightly at his father, thinking about the fact that his father has taken something small away from him: getting to know about Davina’s past was something that should have come with time and her trust, but instead it was being delivered by his father, who always seemed to have a second agenda.

“There was a big news story years ago, about a woman in New Orleans who set her house on fire,” Mikael states, completely ignoring his son and, instead, starting with his long story, setting a scene in a way that Kol is familiar with (Mikael’s lectures always begin the same way), though it feels as if his stomach is sinking, a bad feeling spreading through him (he thinks he can guess where the story is going, but he doesn’t want to). “She died in the fire but her daughter, who was maybe five or six at the time, was rescued by a neighbor who saw the smoke coming from the windows.”

“Tell me you didn’t actually go digging for this story.” His voice is low, anger simmering in the pit of his stomach, a feeling that is familiar washing over him, one that he has been trying to escape since he left for Columbia, begging for him to just  _ give in.  _ “Look me in the eye and tell me that this is where you left things.”

Kol tries not to be surprised by the fact that his father can’t seem to do that, instead leaving his eyes trained on a manilla folder sitting on his oak desk, papers strewn haphazardly in it (a stark contrast to the borderline OCD Miakel usually displays). Though there is no label on the folder, he’s sure it’s whatever information and dirt his father has found about Davina, likely unorganized thanks to whoever helped him obtain the information: he’s seen  _ many _ manilla folders in his day, though they are usually featuring him and whatever bad dead he had done.

“People will think that you’ve just taken pity on this girl. She doesn’t belong in our high-class society, she belongs back in  _ America _ , where she can blend in and pray no one else learns about this,” Mikael says sternly, his voice unwavering, though he refuses to look toward his son, already knowing what reaction the younger man is likely having.

“You have  _ no _ right to go through people’s private business like this, father,” Kol states through clenched teeth, his hands tightly grasping the arm of the chair he’s sitting in, his knuckles slowly turning white due to the intensity of his grip. He needs to keep his composure, to show his father that he’s  _ changed _ and no longer the immature teenager that constantly embarrasses the Mikaelson family, but at the same time, he wants to hurt the man sitting across from him for taking things  _ too far _ , as always.

Nothing ever seemed perfectly  _ done _ for Mikael Mikaelson: there was always room for improvement, ways to be  _ better _ . 

“Her family has a history of addiction and arson, Kol. Even if I didn’t look, if I didn’t find out these things about her,  _ someone _ would have. I understand that you  _ think _ you’ve changed and that things are different, but if you marry Davina Claire, you will embarrass this family more than you ever have before,” Mikael’s statement is bold and his tone firm, meeting his son’s gaze steadily, clearly believing every word he’s saying (Kol can’t believe it, though). “People will  _ talk _ about how she’s just a charity case we’ve taken in, how you could not possibly love  _ someone _ like her, someone from such a lower-class, broken up-bringing. You deserve better for your future.”

“Don’t tell me this is about what I deserve, father, this is about what you want; it’s  _ always _ about what you want. You don’t want what’s best for  _ me _ , you want what you think is going to be best for  _ you _ , because god forbid people  _ talk _ about you.” Kol angrily pushes away from the desk, snatching the manilla folder as he makes his way toward the door, unable to control his anger or look at his father. “I’m in love with Davina and we  _ are _ getting married: I don’t need your approval.”

He slams the door behind him, debating heading back to the kitchen to search for Davina, before turning toward the piano room, the file tucked tightly under his arm.

* * *

“Things weren’t always so tense between the two of them,” Freya comments, watching as her brother walks toward Mikael’s study slowly, her mother running off, mumbling about making a call to someone, leaving Davina alone in the kitchen, slowly savoring what looks like truffle mac and cheese. 

“Hmm-” Her teeth clatter with the fork as she takes another bite, not realizing that Freya was likely addressing her until the food has already reached its destination (she quickly scans the area to ensure that no one else is near before looking toward the blonde, confusion painted across her face).

“Kol and Mikael,” The blonde offers with a smile, laughing softly as Davina offers her a clean fork and gestures to the dish in front of her, the invitation clear in her sparkling blue eyes. “Though Mikael has always been hard on Kol, things didn’t get really bad until-”

“-after Henrik?” Davina guesses, covering her mouth with her hand as she chews softly, smiling as Freya dips her fork into the warm noodle dish. She had been surprised when Esther presented it to her and Kol, given the fact that (regular, boxed) mac and cheese was her favorite food (and comfort food), but she hadn’t missed the look shared between the mother and son, the small smile that indicated Kol had shared some of her personal information with his mother.

Freya’s eyes widen as Davina says her deceased brother’s name, looking over her shoulder for Mikael (call her paranoid), surprised to hear that the brunette had been made aware of her sixth sibling, the young boy often forgotten, even by close friends of the family.

“Does-”

“He doesn't’ really mention him, too much, but we have a few family photos hanging around the apartment and he comes up in some of Kol’s favorite stories,” Davina says, clearly understanding what the blonde had been about to ask (if she were less humble, she would proudly tell everyone who wanted to listen that she had somehow mastered the art of reading the Mikaelson family). 

“Things sort of fell apart after- Mikael dove further into work, prioritizing it over his family, and Esther spent long, lonely nights sleeping in his room, curled up in his bed, mumbling about how much she missed her ‘baby boy.’ It was a pretty dark time around here,” Freya comments, thinking about how bad things had really gotten. Though she and Rebakah had persuaded Esther to see a therapist and, with time, small fractures had slowly started to heal within the family, Mikael was never really the same, as if wanting to distance himself from feeling the same pain again.

“When she visited New York, Esther mentioned the fact that she hadn’t thought Kol had properly grieved Henrik,” Davina mutters, recalling how seemingly broken up the blonde woman had been the second her son left for the bathroom, endlessly questioning how Kol  _ truly _ had been doing and if he was  _ really _ staying out of trouble. 

While they hadn’t discussed it as a (fake) couple, Cami and she had many light night conversations jokingly diagnosing their friends with fake mental issues, mostly ‘for research.’ However, whenever it came to Kol, it was often late at night and more somber than joking: Cami always mumbled and rambled about how, though she couldn’t be sure, she had thought he felt forgotten after Henrik passed, lost in the fold of trauma and sadness. Rebekah became the baby that Esther doted on and Finn was suddenly Mikael’s prodigy; the other siblings seemed to have a concrete place in the family, but Cami had doubted Kol felt that way about his own status.

“Do you? Think he has, I mean,” Freya finishes, taking another bite of noodles as she watches the brunette closely, wanting to hear whatever answer she is about to supply. It’s something she worries about frequently, something she and Keelin discuss constantly, along with the idea of taking some time off to check on him in New York (both want to, but they can never get their work schedules to align).

“I think he’s trying,” Davina says thoughtfully, thinking about how open and vulnerable he is when he discusses his brother, how pure and innocent the young boy was. There’s a certain fondness that rings in his tone, along with a slight bitterness about the situation, but Cami had said that, if he was willing to even discuss the boy, it was a step in the right direction. “Sometimes it’s hard, trying to move past someone, because that would mean having to let go of the memories you shared.”

“Have you lost anyone?” Freya asks curiously, not wanting to be too intrusive, though genuinely curious. For a woman who worked as an interior designer and was only in her early to mid-twenties, she seems rather insightful about the grieving process.

“My mother, when I was younger, but it wasn’t necessarily the same.”

When her mother had passed, it was more about trying to separate what had happened from the happy woman who had loved her unconditionally. It hadn’t been about grieving her, but rather trying to rationalize what had happened: she had spent countless hours in child therapy discussing these issues, she would rather not reopen old wounds with someone who is nearly a stranger.

Before either can say a word, the door to Mikael’s office closes loudly and they share a look, Freya seeming more nervous while Davina appears confused, waiting for Kol to walk by and mention whatever happened behind the large oak door.

After a few minutes, when he fails to do so, both women shrug before returning to their pasta, trading stories about Kol’s childhood and his current life.


	16. Chapter 16

It’s late when he returns back to his room, Davina already settled onto the bed, snoring softly. He feels a pang of regret when he sees the nervous look on her face, the crease on her forehead a clear indication that she had been worried when she finally drifted to sleep (he tells himself that she’s worried about the _situation_ and not _him_ , though he isn’t sure he’s that convincing).

Quickly tucking the manilla file into a pile of dirty clothes he has been stashing in his large suitcase, he begins his night routine, stopping to observe the light bruise that is still covering his cheek (though it has clearly gotten better, the color lightening since he saw it last).

As he settles onto the bed beside Davina, mentally reminding himself that he would only have the chance to do so for three more nights, considering the duo was set to return back to America in four days (he isn’t sure how they’ve already been in London for _five_ days, considering it has hardly felt like two). Gently tucking a brunette wave behind his companion’s ear, he takes a moment to allow his gaze to linger, thinking about what it might be like to spend _every_ night beside one another, before turning off the light, not wanting to give himself too much hope for the future.

* * *

She wakes up to the sunlight that streams into their (Kol’s) bedroom, indicating that it’s likely later than she’s been waking up, the light seemingly brighter than usual. Beside her, the bed is empty, though the sheets are rumpled, which at least tells her that Kol had made it to bed last night, though she has no idea where he might be _now_ (especially given the fact that Kol notably hates waking up in the morning, always wanting to spend a couple more hours in bed).

Shrugging slightly, she makes her way toward the bathroom, mentally preparing herself for her morning routine and wondering, if only for a moment, if something is wrong with Kol, thinking about every moment they spent together yesterday, trying to detect if there were any sort of indications, before deciding he will talk with her if (when) he is ready.

* * *

“I’m sure whatever is in that file isn’t as bad as you think it is,” Rebekah mumbles, looking suspiciously at the folder as her brother paces in front of her, muttering words she can’t understand under his breath. She had received Kol’s ‘SOS’ text a few hours ago and had come to the piano room as soon as she had a cup of coffee (she told herself that he wouldn’t have wanted to see her without one), trying to help her brother process whatever he’s afraid to see. He had only briefly explained the situation, clearly leaving multiple holes in the story (like, why doesn’t he just talk with _Davina_ about everything?).

“What if it is, though, Bex? What if it’s something that is going to wreck our relationship?” Admittedly, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the file all night: it had taunted him from its place under his pile of clothes, first questioning what could be so dark that Davina hadn’t told him, herself, and then questioning how she might react if she found out that he (his father) had disregarded her privacy and taken a deep dive into her past. 

“Kol, if anything breaks your relationship with Davina, it’s going to be a lack of communication. _Go_ to her, _talk_ to her.” Rebekah exclaims, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she glances toward the folder, growing slightly curious, herself. 

“Maybe you should open the folder and then let me know how bad it is,” Kol suggests, completely disregarding her previous comment, looking as if he’s just come up with a million-dollar solution. He’s desperate to know what’s in the file: he hadn’t been when he was unaware that there was a file, but now that it’s in front of him, he _needs_ to know.

“Oh, I don’t kn-”

“Please, Rebekah!”

“Fine,” The blonde huffs, not used to seeing her brother seem so unhinged, as if whatever in this file could _actually_ ruin his relationship (she refrains from reminding him that _his_ reaction is the only thing that matters, instead slowly opening the manilla file carefully).

* * *

“Hello, Ms. Claire,” Mikael greets in a saccharine tone that sounds extremely out of character, especially given the reputation he has with his children (who she’s been looking for). Dressed in a three-piece suit and looking as if he’s about to attend a business meeting rather than eat the turkey sandwich he clearly prepared himself, he looks even more intimidating than the first time they met, though perhaps that’s because she’s somehow found herself cornered and alone.

“Mr. Mikaelson,” Davina mumbles curtly, avoiding making eye contact as she turns toward the fridge, sticking her head inside the cool appliance, not even looking for anything specific. It’s embarrassing and surely not the imagine Kol wants her to be presenting to his father, but somehow her (fake) boyfriend has left her alone to have this conversation, so Davina allows herself to think that any damage she causes for them can be easily blamed on Kol and his absence.

“Dear, are you looking for anything specific? Perhaps that raspberry yogurt Kol likes or _your dignity_?” Sarcasm drips from his tone like acid, the sweetness fading away and leaving a bitter taste in her mouth, as if she’s somehow offended the older man (she doesn’t think that’s possible, given she’s gone out of her way to limit their interactions). Quickly backing away from the refrigerator empty-handed, a blush covering her cheeks, she smiles sheepishly at Kol’s father, looking like a child who was caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

“Kol is allergic to raspberries,” Davina mutters lowly, not wanting to anger the older man, but also wanting to remind him that they were more than just mere acquaintances (sure, they weren’t _engaged_ or even _dating_ , but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t know these things about him). She fondly remembers the first time he had mentioned the allergy to her: she had thought it was completely made up, a simple excuse to eat more bacon and less fruit for breakfast, but he continuously swore he wasn’t lying and, after showing her his medical history, she laughed and gave him another slice of bacon from the skillet.

“Is he? I guess I had forgotten, given how little time he and I spend together.” The remark is flippant and clearly intended to garner some sort of reaction from her, though she tries to remain calm and cool, as if Mikael’s disregard for his youngest (living) son doesn’t make her blood boil and fists clench. It’s the same sort of _humor_ Kol uses when he’s a little down on himself, the same act she’s seen time and time again after his father makes an off-the-cuff remark in a birthday card or sends a pointless reminder that sends him spiraling: she’s always known that he likely hadn’t come up with the idea that he was the family failure on his own, but standing in front of the man who perpetuated that idea, she feels nothing but spite.

“He is,” Davina nods, her jaw tightly clenched, as if she’s attempting to wire it shut so that she won’t begin ranting about all the things Mikael has been doing wrong (she’s compiled a long list). If the situation were different, if she wasn’t trying to pose as Kol’s fiance who has transformed him into a ‘better man’ (which, she honestly doesn’t think he needs to be - he’s pretty great on his own), she might offer Mikael a piece of her mind, but she instead reminds herself of the situation and bites her lip until it draws blood.

“I mean, he was kind of an embarrassment when he was younger, always acting out and trying to make a scene, not caring about the consequences: surely, you can understand why I’ve treated my son the way that I have. Kol was a great child and I have always only wanted what was best for him.” 

Nothing has ever sounded less genuine, Mikael’s tone a mixture of empathetic and bored, a combination that makes Davina want to hit something, preferably the man in front of her. She’s heard all of the childhood stories from Freya and Rebekah and, as someone who was practically a child psychologist’s experiment at the prime age of six, she can easily tell that Kol just wanted to be seen (rooming with Cami only heightened her abilities to diagnose those around her, something she learned at a startlingly young age).

“Kol is an amazing man, Mr. Mikaelson. He’s warm and kind, comforting and understanding: it seems clear that you don’t yet, but you will one day regret the time you didn’t spend with your son. Everyone makes mistakes and has a past, sir, but Kol has grown from his.” She’s firm in her words, her eyes staring directly at the older man, as if begging him to question her statements, daring him to try to tell her otherwise. 

The smile that forms on his face reminds her of Willy Wonka, who always frightened her as a child, and the feeling she gets when she sees it is no more comforting that it had been years ago.

“I’m actually glad you brought up pasts, Ms. Claire, because I recently looked into yours.” He watches her closely as she stiffens, her body tense as he says the words, her back straightening, as if suddenly realizing her poor posture. The sparkle from her blue eyes fades slightly, confusion creasing on her forehead as her smile dims.

“Why would you-”

“I make it my personal responsibility to ensure that my children are with suitable matches, with people from reputable families,” Mikael says, waving off the concern in her tone with an eye roll, as if the answer was obvious. “You, _Davina Claire_ , have quite an interesting past: a father who left, a mother who attempted to kill you when she started a house fire, a friend whose aunt, who treated you somewhat like her own, who died from addiction.”

Each statement is a fact and hits her like a bullet; he’s so nonchalant, mentioning her secrets as if they’re simply common knowledge (her blood runs cold as she wonders if they _are_ ). Her father, a man she can’t remember, left before she had turned two, something that her mother struggled deeply with, eventually falling into depression. It was her neighbor that had saved her from the fire, having seen the smoke from down the block and hearing her cries as she passed by the house; her mother had already died from smoke inhalation once she was saved, and Davina’s own memories of the woman, which are somewhat blurred thanks to the time that has passed, are tainted with the fact that the woman had done something so cruel. 

However, she is most surprised by his last statement, about Sophie Deveraux: Monique, Sophie’s niece, had been her best friend since practical birth and, once Davina entered the foster care system, after bouncing between a few homes, Sophie had agreed to become her guardian. They had been happy and, though not the nuclear family she had once envisioned, she loved the bubble they created. Family dinners, game nights, trips to the movie theater a few towns away: it was _nice_ and _comfortable_ , which is maybe why things had gone wrong after her fifteenth birthday. She had learned at a young age that being comfortable was dangerous, that things were constantly changing and allowing yourself to get caught up in the moment was a bad idea.

“My past doesn’t define who I am,” Davina states confidently, the words her therapist has made her repeat ringing through the room. “It doesn’t change the fact that Kol and I have something special together or the fact that we’re getting married.” 

“Oh, you foolish girl, it clearly does exactly that. Marrying you is the worst possible thing Kol could do to this family and he knows that. Why else wouldn’t you have seen him all day? It’s clear that things are over between the two of you now that he knows the truth,” Mikael states with a slight smirk, watching as the brunette seems to actually consider his words, her blue eyes clouding with doubt and hurt. “Sometimes, you have to make tough choices, Ms. Claire, and it seems that Kol has chosen his family and their reputation over some girl from New York City.”


	17. Chapter 17

“Davina?” 

She turns quickly from her suitcase to see Elijah hovering in the doorway, dressed in the same three-piece suit as her former companion, though instead of wearing a sickeningly sweet smile and planning her demise, he simply seems confused, one arm resting in the door frame, as if waiting to be invited in.

“Elijah, hey,” Her voice is weak and shaky, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes, though she has kept them at bay for the time being (it’s taken _a lot_ of restraint, but she’s learned it along the years). For a brief moment, she considers trying to push him away from the door and into the hallway, not wanting him to see her haphazardly packed bags or the note she’s started writing to his brother (she can’t seem to find the right words: nothing seems to be _right_ ), but quickly decides that it likely doesn’t matter, anyways. Within a few hours, she will be on a plane back to New York City, where she belongs (the voice in her head, reminding her of that fact, sounds a little too much like _Mikael_ for her tastes, but she disregards that, for now).

“Is everything alright, Davina?” His tone is genuine and concerned, though he remains rooted in the doorway, clearly not wanting to upset her further by entering her space without her permission. For the past six days, since she arrived at the Mikaelson compound, Elijah has hardly seen the girl without a bright smile or witty comment: seeing her on the verge of tears, clearly upset, sends his stomach sinking, knowing that something has likely happened between she and Kol that has left her in this state.

“Yeah, everything is perfect, Elijah!” Davina cringes when she hears her own voice, which breaks as she says his name, the ‘enthusiastic’ tone she had attempted failing by a mile. She quickly turns from the dark-haired man, wiping her face quickly with her hands to ensure no stray tears have escaped, before turning toward the bathroom (Elijah takes this as an invitation into the room, seeing as she hasn’t told him to leave).

“It looks like you’re leaving,” He comments, standing at the edge of the bed where her bags are laying across the comforter, all clearly packed a little _too_ full. “Did something happen?”

“Oh, nothing really happened, I just realized that maybe I’m not cut out for this family, after all,” Davina mutters as she breezes past him, not wanting to stop and dwell on the facts anymore, unsure how much longer she can lie about her (fake) relationship, which has seemingly ended without anyone telling her. “Not that it isn’t a great family, you were all warm and welcoming, but-”

“You don’t have to lie, Davina, I understand that things aren’t necessarily traditional around here,” Elijah smiles softly, reaching for the girl, who quickly pulls her arm from his grasp, refusing to meet his gaze. “However, if it’s any consolation, I’ve never seen Kol as-”

“I have to go,” Davina mumbles, cutting him off mid-sentence, as if listening to him pay her a compliment would send her tumbling over the edge (she honestly fears it might). “I’m sorry that this is so abrupt and that you don’t seem to like me, but I’m not meant to be in this picture perfect lifestyle you have all made for yourselves, and I was just fooling myself to think that I was.”

“That’s the thing with being ‘picture perfect,’ it’s all for show,” Elijah mutters, trying to break through the younger woman’s thoughts, though he can tell he’s unsuccessful. He wonders what his brother must have done to make the woman in front of him react so irrationally; only a mere few days ago, they were at their (and Rebekah’s) engagement party, looking sickeningly in love, but now she’s quickly fleeing and Kol is nowhere to be found. “Listen, Davina, I know that it might not seem like it right now, but whatever you have with Kol in New York is clearly more important than-”

 **“It’s fake!”** She exclaims abruptly, turning toward him with wide eyes, her mouth open, as if she can’t believe what she’s just said. Quickly closing her eyes, she reminds herself to take a few deep breaths, desperately searching for any semblance of sanity, before trying to formulate a response that might explain her reaction while also erasing it (she can’t really think of one). “I mean-”

“Davina, I find it hard to believe that whatever you and Kol have together is fake,” Elijah says softly, regarding the girl as if she’s some sort of animal he thinks might attack if he makes the wrong movement. 

“You don’t understand.”

“No, it seems I don’t, but just because I’m missing a few details doesn’t mean I’m blind to the connection the two of you share.” Elijah watches her closely, her eyes opening hesitantly, tears slowly sliding down her face as she shakes her head quickly.

“Things aren’t like that, Elijah,” Davina denies, her curls sticking to her face as she attempts to wipe away some of the tears that have started to slip. 

“Just because they aren’t the way you’ve been telling everyone they are doesn’t mean they are exactly what you’ve been telling yourself,” Elijah advises the brunette, who is still shaking her head, grabbing her bags as she makes her way toward the door.

“It isn’t- I don’t- I have to go.”

He watches as she stops for a moment, shooting him a sad look before slipping off her engagement ring and making her way out of Kol’s childhood room.

“Wait, Davina-”

* * *

“I think you should just read it, Kol. You’re always going to wonder what it says if you don’t look at it yourself,” Rebekah mutters, sparing a quick glance at the time on her phone, before returning her worried gaze to her brother, who has spent the entire day simply looking at some file he received, unable to open it.

“Was it bad?” He asks hesitantly, looking toward Rebekah, who had refused to simply summarize the articles she had read within the file, claiming they were too personal and intrusive.

“Maybe a little sad, but nothing too violent,” Rebekah shrugs, looking at the bookshelves in the piano room, quickly picking up a copy of Shakespeare, skimming the pages as Kol continues to simply stare at the file. “Where did you get that bloody thing, anyway?”

“Mikael gave it to me,” Kol mutters, picking up the file and looking at the outer binding, something he has done numerous times this hour (Rebekah wants to slap her brother for how much time he’s wasted and has come eerily close on far too many occasions).

“Why did you take this file from Mikael?” Rebekah questions, her interest suddenly piqued as she tries to uncover the full story of what’s happening: if Mikael had supplied the very thing that was currently driving Kol to the brink of insanity, there had to be a clear reason why. “Why was Mikael even looking into Davina’s past to begin with?”

“Both are solid questions, Bex, but since you haven’t answered mine, perhaps I shouldn’t answer yours.” He sounds distracted, close to opening the file, but she doesn’t allow her hopes to rise, having seen him repeat the same actions numerous times.

“Kol, I have been sitting with you for _hours_ as you _contemplate_ opening a file that our father handed you. Clearly whatever he said is eating at you,” Rebekah says, her tone even and steady, confidence oozing from her words as she smiles, clearly thrilled to have been able to read this situation so well.

“He said that marrying Davina would be the worst thing I could do to this family, all because of whatever is in this file,” Kol admits after a few minutes of hesitation, eyeing the file as if it’s personally out to destroy him and any chance at happiness he may have. He had spent all night thinking about his father’s words, wondering what could be so bad besides a fire that would prompt such a harsh reaction. 

_Maybe_ Davina had been extremely into drugs as a teen? Would he be able to think of her the same knowing she had a past as some sort of junkie? _Maybe_ it was child pornography or prostitution? He’s heard terrible things in the _New York Times_ about some situations involving the foster care systems and people who are in weak, vulnerable places (perhaps after their mother tried to kill them in a house fire). Would he be able to overlook those things, to be with her knowing she had a history with those sorts of things, that she could have been the girl he had been reading about? _Maybe_ she was molested or abused or-

“You can’t honestly believe that, can you?” Rebekah’s disbelieving tone brings him out of his thoughts (thankfully) and back to the present, where she’s looking at him as if he’s grown a third head or kicked a puppy, as if she can’t believe someone has actually done something so _stupid_ or _bizarre_.

“Bex-”

“Mikael is just trying to mess with your head and it seems like you’re letting him win. Who cares if he doesn’t approve of Davina? It isn’t like he’s marrying her.” Her words hold a strong conviction that he doesn’t necessarily feel; it’s clear that Rebekah believes more in his (fake) relationship than he does, though he feels as if he has the right to be skeptical, given the fact that Davina has an entire past he had no idea about.

“I know that, okay, but I-”

“There are really no excuses for this situation, Kol. If you loved Davina, it would be clear that you would be able to overlook whatever is in that file of hers, because she’s been able to do the same for you. She’s supported you, even come to this extended week with you, and you’re unsure about what will happen after you see whatever she’s been hiding in her past.” Rebekah is surprised and startled, both of which are reflected in her wide blue eyes and curious tone, the pieces finally falling together. 

“What if-”

“You two are a team, Kol. It’s time you start acting like it.”

She hands him the file firmly, watching as he cringes slightly before accepting the documents, slowly opening the cover, his eyes widening as he begins reading the headlines and stories written about his (fake) fiance.


	18. Chapter 18

“You really didn’t have to do this,” Davina mumbles from the passenger seat, looking over at her companion with a mixture of confusion and annoyance (she would have been perfectly fine in a taxi or an Uber, with someone who didn’t make this trip seem a hundred times more awkward than it already felt).

“Nonsense, Kol cares about you, he would kill me if he heard that I let you travel on your own to the airport,” Elijah smiles, looking happily toward the brunette beside him before focusing his attention back on the road. “Are you-”

“-Stop asking if I’m sure that I’m making the right decision, Elijah. Twelve times was really enough to be certain.” Davina states, stifling a laugh as she thinks about the situation she has found herself in, being driven to the airport by one of the family members that clearly hadn’t liked her, desperately trying to escape London before Kol or anyone else learned of her departure. “And you promise that you didn’t tell Kol I was leaving?”

“And allow him to know that I had seen you go and hadn’t stalled long enough for him to convince you otherwise? I’m not that much of an idiot, Davina,” Elijah laughs softly, already picturing his brother’s reaction when he notices the short brunette’s absence, knowing it will likely be dramatic and completely uncalled for (he wonders if he could call Klaus and ask him to record the occasion so that he might be able to experience it once he returns from the airport). “We can always-”

“Elijah, I feel a little confused about what’s going on here,” Davina admits, stopping Elijah from reminding her that turning around is ‘always an option’ (she isn’t sure that it really is, anymore). Instead of thinking about how many calls she is going to have to avoid from Kol before he gets the message that she doesn’t want to talk and all the places she will have to stay away from in the city, she decides to shift her attention to the driver, who insisted they take his ‘classic, vintage’ Mercedes. 

“We’re going to the airport, are we not?”

“No, I mean, yes we are going to the airport, but that’s not what I meant; I meant, what’s going on between the two of us? Not to be rude, but I was under the impression that you didn’t like me,” She resists the urge to add ‘that much,’ mostly because she had been certain that he felt extremely impartial toward her, from their less than stellar meeting to the fact that everytime they found themselves in a room together, Elijah always mumbled an excuse to leave or immersed himself in conversation with other people around them to avoid speaking with her. “I mean, I appreciate that you’re taking me to the airport and I’m sorry that I’ve put you in such an uncomfortable position with your brother, but I guess I just don’t understand.”

“Davina, have you met my girlfriend, Hayley?” Elijah asks, though both already know the answer, given that Hayley had been staying at the Mikaelson compound with the rest of the group. Davina had liked Hayley during the few times they interacted, noticing how loving she was toward her daughter and how fun she seemed to be when the small girl wasn’t around. “Did Kol ever tell you the story of what happened between Klaus and I, in regards to Hayley and Hope?”

She shakes her head slightly, knowing that the topic was one of the few that Kol had been in the dark about: it had seemed somewhat taboo-ish to even mention the fact that they were all connected, instead pretending as if Klaus was nothing more than Hope’s uncle (Davina is sure things were different behind closed doors, but thinking about it made her head spin with questions she knew she shouldn’t ask).

“When I met Hayley, she was already pregnant with Niklaus’s baby, though he hadn’t really cared at the time: in time, he grew to love the child that grew within her, but I grew fond of Hayley.” 

He pauses for a moment, thinking about the days when Hayley was forced to stay inside the compound, Niklaus insisting that she stay safe and away from any sort of cameras that tended to follow the Mikaelson family. It was during those times that he and Hayley had the chance to grow closer; though he had moved away from the compound a few years prior, his apartment was one of the few places Klaus allowed Hayley to go, knowing that the brunette was safe with his brother. As a busy law student, he hardly had any time for flirtations, let alone with the woman carrying his future niece or nephew, so Klaus felt extremely comfortable with leaving him with Hayley, which was (in hindsight) a mistake.

“I was in law school, studying constantly and sometimes Hayley would come over to help me study or to read my law books: she grew tired, feeling like she was trapped under my mother and brother’s scrutiny at the compound and found my textbooks more interesting than discussing whatever weird traditions my mother constantly brought up. At first, everything was friendly and completely platonic; she was the woman carrying my brother’s baby and I was just the man who happened to be related to her child’s father, who was showing extremely overprotective tendencies early in the pregnancy.”

Davina smiles thinking about Klaus carefully demanding Hayley to stay inside: during the few conversations they had, Hayley hadn’t seemed like the kind of girl who took well to orders or simply just doing what she had been told. No, the older brunette was clearly headstrong, wanting to do as she pleased.

“In time, Hayley started spending most of her time at my apartment, discussing her interests and worries about the baby, alternating between reading baby books and legal cases; Niklaus stopped by sometimes, though he was usually preoccupied with ‘ensuring his child had only the best’ and, while we hadn’t known it at the time, it was right around this time that Klaus met Caroline, so you can only imagine how that went.”

After witnessing how Klaus is around Caroline, Davina can only assume _bad_ , considering the two are rather evenly matched in wit and charm: she couldn’t have chosen a more perfect couple if she tried, though she wouldn’t dare mention that near Rebekah.

“A few months had passed before I realized that I genuinely enjoyed spending my days with Hayley, by that time our family had announced that she was pregnant and marrying Niklaus, much to both of their displeasure. In the days that followed, we had multiple conversations about what would happen after the two were married and jokingly saying we should run away together. I had grown attached to her, loving the company she provided, and she was supposed to marry my brother.”

If she closed her eyes, Davina knows she would be able to perfectly picture the situation: Elijah, reading his law books and smiling brightly as he talks with Hayley, the fact that she was set to marry his brother looming darkly over his head, though he never discussed it. Elijah seemed like the kind of guy that would willingly sacrifice his own happiness for that of his brother’s, so Davina is more than interested to know what happened to completely change the situation.

“They broke off their engagement at the party, actually, with all of our family and friends in attendance, though Kol was still in New York. Klaus confronted Mikael and told him that he wouldn’t be his puppet, that he had fallen in love with someone else and that, while he intended to help support the baby, he couldn’t envision himself loving Hayley.”

“I can only imagine that didn’t go over well,” Davina lets out a soft laugh, thinking back to her own conversation with Mikael about marriage: it was clear that he was the kind of man who thought marriage was more of a formality involving power than a partnership shared between two people.

“Mikael was furious and completely cut Klaus off for a year after that. Hayley permanently moved into my apartment, seeing as she didn’t want to stay in the compound if Klaus was moving out and my brother stayed with Marcel. Nothing happened during that time, but for the first time, it had felt like maybe something could.”

“That’s a really sweet story,” Davina mutters after a few minutes, careful to make sure Elijah is through with his story before making her comment, not wanting to interrupt (she isn’t sure why she cares about being polite, given the fact that she’s already exposed herself to Elijah as a fraud).

“Listen, Davina, if there was anything I learned in the situation with Hayley, it was that I was an idiot for not voicing my feeling sooner; denying them hadn’t worked, but rather, it created questions I suddenly didn’t have the answers to. I understand that you and Kol aren’t actually engaged and, while I’m disappointed in that fact, that doesn’t mean I believe you when you say there are no feelings between the two of you.” Elijah glances at the younger woman beside him, trying to gauge her reaction before continuing. “Perhaps, the reason I was so surprised to meet you was because you weren’t anything like what I had expected: you shattered every physical and general expectation I had of the woman Kol would bring home, creating a completely different picture.”

“ _Fake_ picture,” Davina says softly, turning toward the window, not wanting to discuss her fake relationship anymore, especially not with someone who knows it was all a ruse.

“I think it was a real picture and you just didn’t want to admit it.”

* * *

“What do you mean she’s gone?” Rebekah questions, panic easily detectable in her voice as she rushes into Kol’s room, taking notice of the missing bags and feminine touches that had been there the previous morning. 

Marcel is hot on her heels, a look of concern painted across his face, with Hayley and Caroline also crowded near the door, both worried about the younger man in front of them, who seemed to be having some sort of panic attack.

“I mean that her things are gone and she left behind her ring,” Kol mutters, moving the ring’s delicate band gently in his fingers as he wonders where the brunette could have gone (a stupid question, he realizes, because there is likely only one place she would go). “I need to find her.”

“Kol, I think you need to take a minute and calm down,” Caroline says in a steady voice as she slowly enters the room, Hope balanced on her hip as she watches her brother-in-law, instantly noticing the look of concern she’s never seen him wear. 

“Davina is a big girl and she can surely handle herself,” Marcel adds, stepping behind Rebekah, who is still standing in the doorway, trying to figure out what she’s missing about the situation. 

“Just because she gave back the ring doesn’t mean you’re not still together,” Rebekah chirps, her voice an octave higher than normal, though she tries to play it off as purposeful. In all honesty, she’s surprised that the brunette would leave without so much as a quick goodbye and a little hurt, while also being upset about the entire situation.

“You don’t understand, it _does_ mean we aren’t together anymore, Bex,” Kol mutters, still staring at the three-stone ring, taking a quick moment to admire the way the diamonds catch the light, thinking about the way it had looked on Davina’s delicate hand. 

“Why would you say that?” Hayley asks, running a comforting hand down Kol’s back as she takes a seat beside him on the bed, using a voice Rebekah often teases is her ‘mom voice’ (caring, understanding, though a little stern at times).

“I haven’t exactly been honest about everything.” His reply is soft, hardly audible, though everyone in the room hears it, looking as if he had shouted the words. “Well, anything, really.”


	19. Chapter 19

“Davina and I, we weren’t really engaged,” Kol mumbles, looking at the room that has filled with his family members, who look a mixture of surprised (Caroline, Marcel, Hayley, Freya, Keelin, Rebekah, Esther, and even Klaus) to somewhat knowing (Sage, Finn, and Mikael, the latter also looking slightly happy at the development). “We weren’t even dating, we are just friends, but when Rebekah met her the first time, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to show that I’d changed, so I concocted this big scheme and pleaded with her to go along with it.”

“And she just went along with it? For the past five years, you guys have been pretending to be a couple all to pull one over on all of us?” Rebekah questions, doubt detectable in her voice as she tries to imagine the scenario, thinking back to all the instances she had seen the duo together. While some of the earlier times were perhaps a little awkward and uncomfortable, she had thought it was due to the fact that Davina hadn’t met any other members of their family and their relationship was new: it had seemed perfectly natural at the time, but now she wonders if it was just because Davina had felt guilty lying or due to the fact that they hadn’t gotten their footing as a couple yet.

“Why would she do that?” Caroline asks, the blonde tilting her head, in ‘journalist’ mode as she attempts to collect all the evidence, not even noticing the change in her voice as she asks the question (she’s a little more assertive and formal, though it’s just routine for her). “I mean, sure you guys were friends, but there  _ had  _ to be something she was getting out of it, right?”

“I wasn’t  _ paying  _ her; there was no sort of compensation of any kind involved. As I stated, we were,  _ are _ , friends and after I explained the whole ‘arranged marriage’ thing to her, she was more than happy to pretend for the few days Rebekah was in town.” Looking back, he realizes that his ‘favor’ was likely too big, even if it had been initially for a few days: at the time, he hadn’t considered anyone but himself, but now that she’s gone and the charade is over, he finds himself wondering what could have tipped her over the edge (was it the fact that she had grown to like his family? did she start having doubts about their (fake) relationship and the fact that it seemed as if it would never end?).

“That was years ago, Kol; you let this poor girl meet the Mikaelson’s and pretend to be your girlfriend, later  _ fiance _ , for the past five years all to escape the threat of a fake engagement?” Freya sounds incredulous, trying to straighten out the facts before she jumps to any rash conclusions (all centered around how dumb her brother is).

“We were in over our heads, I admit, but Davina is the kind of  _ friend  _ who sticks with things, the kind of  _ person _ who is loyal to a fault and will do anything for the people she cares about,” Kol states, trying to imagine how she might be right now, likely either on her way to the airport or on a flight back to America. His mind is racing with questions for her, about her past and the things she’s endured, about the present and what happened that made her leave, about their future and the fact that he might actually be a little in love with her, but he instead focuses back on his family, attempting to quiet his mind as he looks at the interested members of his family, his father having quietly slipped from the room after his initial announcement. “I know it was a lot to ask from her, all of our friends made sure that I knew that, but Rebekah had already met her before I had the chance to even think of the idea of a fake girlfriend and, honestly, I’m not sure there would have been one if it hadn’t been Davina.”

“You both seemed so happy, Kol. I just don’t understand how people can fake emotions like that,” Esther admits, running a hand through her blonde locks as she tries to think about any moments that stand out to her as being fabricated. She had seen with her own eyes, watched as the couple practically swooned over one another, so in-sync she had felt a pang of jealousy, missing the days when she and Mikael had been as young and in love as the two were. Davina had allowed her to invade her personal space during their first meeting, allowed her to play the ‘protective mother’ and made promises she was sure the brunette kept, even without realizing it. “Are you sure that you two weren’t really in love?”

* * *

“Aren’t people going to notice you’re gone?” Davina asks, taking a quick bite of her mint chocolate chip ice cream as she looks over at the older man beside her, standing beside the old picnic table at the park he had sworn was ‘close to the airport, but far enough away from traffic.’ She still had an hour before her flight boarded and she had gotten everything set up, with Elijah somehow getting her a first class seat for the ride home (she insisted he didn’t have to, but he shot her a look and continued talking with the ticket guy): her luggage was already waiting to be loaded onto the plane and, at last second, Elijah had demanded they go to one of his favorite ice cream huates a few miles away, insisting that it was the best she would ever have (it was good, but she wasn’t sure it was  _ the best _ ).

“I texted Hayley and explained that I had a few errands to run,” Elijah shrugs, taking another bite of his cinnamon ice cream, looking down toward the girl on the bench, as if trying to memorize her expressions. The sparkle had returned to her blue eyes, much to his delight, and she seemed more at ease than she had in the car, clearly liking the amount of space they had at the secluded park, rather than when she was trapped in the car with him.

“If you’re going to get in trouble with your family-”

“Hayley said everyone is worried about where you are: I guess Kol came clean about the whole fake romance thing, after all, and they are now frantically searching for you around the compound,” Elijah watches Davina’s reaction carefully, though it is schooled into a look of indifference (he wonders how she perfected that look so well).

“The compound is the last place I would want to be, especially after-”

“After what, Davina?” Elijah questions, perking up slightly as her voice trails, interest piqued, curiosity clear written across his face as he looks toward the girl, a gentle smile one his face. “You never told me what happened to garner such a reaction. If Kol is frantically searching you, it seems he wasn’t the one who upset you.”

“It was  _ Mikael _ ,” Davina admits softly, swirling her ice cream around with her spoon as she refuses to make eye contact with Elijah, not wanting him to psychoanalyze her or reassure her that Mikael’s words should be taken at face value (she can clearly picture him doing both). “Well, Mikael was the person who confirmed it, at least. I guess maybe it was a joint effort between him and Kol.”

“What happened?” Elijah asks softly, taking a seat beside her on the picnic table, wanting to showcase the fact that they were complete equals in the situation, that he wouldn’t judge her for whatever she was about to say (it seemed like whatever it was had a firm hold on her that she couldn’t escape or voice).

* * *

“Kol, I think you should go after her,” Rebekah mumbles, sitting next to her brother after all the others have finally left, their questions all at least mediocrely answered (he didn’t feel great watching as frowns stretched across their faces, but he knew he owed them the truth). Of all the Mikaelson’s, Rebekah seemed the most surprised at his revelation, though he thinks it’s because she’s grown fond of Davina over the past couple of days, viewing her as a friend, rather than just the girl her brother was going to marry.

“Bex, she left for a reason and I need to respect that,” Kol mumbles, running a hand through his hair as he refrains from sighing loudly, unsure of what to do now that Davina is gone. The room reminds him of her, of the feelings he never got the chance to verbalize, of the questions that have yet to be answered: her memory is reflected on every surface, even the pillow she used still smells like her.

“No, Kol, you need to figure out what the reasoning is! There’s clearly a missing piece of the puzzle that-”

“Rebekah, Esther was looking for you in the kitchen,” Marcel interrupts, leaning in the doorframe, looking rather amused at the scene in front of him, the blonde looking as if she’s about to start on some long ramble about ‘the right thing to do,’ while Kol just helplessly listens. The younger man looks almost grateful for the interruption, though skeptical when, after huffing loudly, Rebekah leaves, with Marcel still lingering behind.

“Did you need something, Marcellus?” Kol questions, using the older man’s ‘full name’, which has become somewhat of a term of endearment with regard to the Mikaelson’s (practically) surrogate son: though it was not  _ actual  _ his full name,, Klaus had declared that it was the name deserving of a king and insisted they all called him by it at a young age. He doesn’t look toward the man in the doorway, his eyes trained on his hands, which are fidgeting in his lap, but he knows that the other man is still watching him, debating whether or not he wants to add something else before leaving.

“N- Yes, Kol, I actually did want to say something,” His voice is low and serious, something that directly juxtaposes his high energy, easy-going personality, which instantly signals the fact that he is going to say something he feels is important (Kol listens closely, his interest piqued, though gives no indication of such, not wanting to allow Marcel that victory). “People can’t control the feelings they have for one another: they don’t just wake up one day and decide they’re in love with someone else, it’s a process. I get that things with Davina didn’t start out as romantic as you let everyone else believe, but there was clearly something between the two of you and, as someone who knows a little bit about denying feelings, might I just suggest that it’s pointless.”

“Kind of like this lecture- are you going somewhere with it?” Kol quips, looking toward the doorway, taunting Marcel (it’s a defense mechanism and, if Rebekah were here, she would scold him for lashing out).

“You can’t just turn off whatever feelings you harbor for Davina Claire, it isn’t that easy. The only thing you have control of is what your next move is going to be: are you going to sit around on your bed, wondering where things went wrong and what happened, spiraling as you overthink every interaction the two of you had, or are you actually going to do something about it?” He makes obscene hand gestures as he states his piece, as if he can’t hold back from trying to understand and express his confusion over the situation.

“Marcel, it’s not-”

“Of course it’s not that easy, Kol, but it’s  _ important _ and that’s what matters in this situation.” Marcel interrupts, seeming to settle down (at least slightly) as he steps away from the doorway and into the room, leaning against Kol’s old desk that sits dusty in the corner. “I’m not going to just say that you should maybe chase after Davina because it’s obvious you’re in love with her and will never be settled without knowing any answers to your questions, but I  _ am _ going to suggest that denying things doesn’t get easier: those questions you’re thinking are going to fester until you feel like you’re going to explode.”

He’s speaking from experience, Kol realizes, likely about his time trying to deny his feelings for Rebekah for Klaus’s sake (he hadn’t seen it, but he could hear how unhappy Rebekah had been during that time just by the tone of her voice).

“Davina’s a great girl and she deserves someone equally great. I guess, the question you should be focusing on right now is, are you that guy?”

* * *

“Thanks for the ice cream, Elijah,” Davina smiles as she stands in the airport, people around her moving quickly, though she’s standing still, looking at her companion with a sense of sadness (she’s never been great at goodbyes). “I would tell you to visit New York, but if you did, I’m sure I would be the last person you would visit.”

“Nonsense, Davina, I’m sure I would be able to clear some time for my brother's fake former fiance,” Elijah smiles, clearly joking, though his tone remains the same, much to Davina’s amusement. He stands out in the large space, the only person dressed as if they are at the airport on official business, surrounded by people wearing their sweatpants and pajamas, but Davina feels something swell inside her as she looks at him, a sense of happiness and calm washing over her.

“Well, if that wouldn’t be possible, I would understand,” Davina laughs, embracing Elijah for a brief moment, allowing herself to feel the comfort in the gesture, before stepping away. Though they hadn’t necessarily been anything more than formal for the past five days, spending this time with him has given her another perspective on growing up as a Mikaelson under Mikael’s close watch and the situation she had found herself in with Kol: Elijah is, evidently, a great listener.

“Call when your flight lands,” Elijah reminds her as the loudspeaker crackles above them, announcing the departure of her flight. 

“I will,” Davina nods, trying to ignore the tears that are collecting in the corner of her eyes as she thinks about the fact that these are the last moments of what she and Elijah loving dubbed ‘The Week from Hell.’ She had known that it would be a little harder than she originally intended, given the fact that she had grown attached to Kol and his family in ways she hadn’t expected, but this seems harder than she prepared for. Sparing Elijah another glance, she quickly picks up her tote bag, heading toward where people are boarding the plan, stopping to wave goodbye to the older man before taking a deep breath and stepping forward.

* * *

“Elijah, where the hell are you? I’ve been trying to reach you all day!” Hayley’s voice rings as he watches Davina disappear, the device pressed closely against his ear as he listens to his girlfriend scold him. “You haven’t been responding to any of my messages and, not to be dramatic, but we’re kind of in the middle of a crisis at the compound.”

“Hayley, I told you that I had to run an errand,” Elijah reminds her, watching the flight board as it constantly changes, trying to remember the number of Davina’s flight. The loud airport is not necessarily the best environment for this conversation, but he finds himself rooted in place, wanting to ensure that everything was well with the younger girl before he left.

“Are you at the airport?” Her voice is soft and accusatory as she hears the speaker crack in the background, her mind quickly connecting the dots. She’s alone, having just put Hope down for a nap, but prior to that, she had been involved in Esther and Rebekah’s massive ‘Get Kol and Davina Together for Real!’ plan: the idea that her boyfriend might have been the person to enable the brunette to leave would certainly be seen as a betrayal among his family members.

“She needed a ride, Hayley.” His explanation is rational and thoughtless, as if it was obvious he would offer his services, as if he had simply said that the sky was blue, rather than the fact that he helped Davina leave Kol without any explanation.

“You didn’t need to offer her one, Elijah.” Running a hand over her face, she wonders how her boyfriend managed to find himself in this situation, especially since he had been seemingly avoiding the younger brunette since she arrived (Rebekah had told her  _ all _ about how awkward things had been when Davina arrived). “Your family is currently contemplating a million and one ways to get her back here and you just brought her to the airport.”

“I understand that everyone will be upset, Hayley, but you didn’t see her: she would never have forgiven Kol right now. She needs more time,” Elijah rationalizes, smiling slightly as he watches her flight take off, turning away from the large screen and heading toward the exit. “I will be home soon and we can discuss everything.”


	20. Chapter 20

“He obviously needs to get on a plane and go back to New York as soon as possible,” Esther sighs, looking at the women sitting around the table with her, all of them like daughters to her. When Kol had announced that he and Davina would be coming home for the engagement party and to spend a week with the Mikaelson’s, she set out to ensure their stay was as perfect as possible, wanting to persuade them to move officially, so it hurts her to know that he should leave sooner than expected (the voice inside her head reminds her that  _ Davina _ has already flown the coop, but she quickly silences it, not wanting to feel bitter about the situation). “What could anyone have possibly said to that girl to make her leave? She seemed  _ so _ in love with Kol.”

Across the table, Sage stiffens slightly, already uncomfortable to be sitting at the dining room table with the other women (though Finn had insisted she go). Hearing everyone’s unhappiness about Davina’s sudden departure causes jealousy and guilt to surface within her, the emotions waging to be stronger than the other: she knows that, if the situation were reversed and it was  _ her _ that left things so rocky with she and Finn, no one would be going to such lengths to ensure everything ended perfectly (hell, they might even through a party if she left).

“I just got off the phone with Elijah,” Hayley announces, making her way back to her seat between Sage and Caroline, running a hand through her dark locks, carefully contemplating her next words. “He said he thought Mikael said something to Davina, but he didn’t know what.”

If anyone else is surprised at the table, they carefully mask it, though Sage is sure it’s written completely across her face: not because Mikael said something to Davina (she had already known that), but that  _ Elijah _ knew about the confrontation Finn had detailed. As far as she had known, Elijah had seemed to be avoiding the brunette as if she was  _ Katherine _ , so it’s surprising to hear that the younger woman confided in the stoic and (usually) fair Mikaelson, considering her seemingly close friendship with Rebekah.

“Mikael?” Freya repeats, eyes widening slightly, envisioning all the things the older man might have said to the younger girl, knowing that her father is unnecessarily intimidating. When she had first brought Keelin to the compound, Mikael had insisted that being with Keelin was a mistake, that they were from different social classes, but the duo had brushed off his criticism  _ together _ . However, she can only imagine how her girlfriend would have reacted if Mikael had confronted her alone like he did Davina.

“He gave Kol a file of Davina’s history the other day: maybe he confronted her about it, himself,” Rebekah suggests, trying to forget about what she had read, instead trying to focus on the specific situation unfolding around her. After Kol had read the file (and, though she made him promise not to tell anyone, shed a few tears), he had gone to find Davina, only to learn that she had left without any sort of notice. If Mikael had mentioned whatever was in the file or made it seem like Kol was against her, Rebekah can easily understand why the brunette might have fled: she was being honest when she emphasized to Kol that he and Davina were a team, especially if they were working to keep up this master charade from everyone else.

“Well, did Kol mention the file to her? What was so important about it that could have made her leave the country?” Caroline questions and, honestly, Sage expects her to pull out a legal pad and pen at any moment clearly in ‘reporter mode.’ Though she was used to more hard-hitting stories or puff pieces about the royal family, Caroline Forbes-Mikaelson never backed away from agood story, especially one she felt a connection with.

“Kol said that dad mentioned the file being detrimental to the family’s reputation, that marrying Davina would completely ruin us,” Rebekah mumbles, somewhat ashamed at even saying the words, clearly not believing what she’s saying. Sage looks away, too, having known that the older man was going to make the statement, though not realizing how harsh it would sound to someone who might have  _ actually _ been in love with Kol.

“What did Kol say?” Caroline asks cautiously, leaning forward in her chair, as if listening for even the slightest inflection in the blonde’s tone. 

“He didn’t want to mention it to her; he knew she would be upset if he told her and he couldn’t even bring himself to open the file, so he didn’t want to confront her about it,” Rebekah says, thinking back to earlier in the day, when things seemed easier, watching Kol pace anxiously in front of the piano, loudly contemplating opening the file. While she had been sure that her brother’s curiosity was more focused on what was in the file rather than Mikael’s statement, she had been a little off-put at the fact that he didn’t just open it or at least mention it to Davina.

“Maybe Mikael used the knowledge that the file would drive Kol crazy to manipulate the situation: he could have made it look like things were different if Kol never mentioned the file to her,” Caroline admits, her face brightening slightly at the fact that she’s solved the case, before it falls, remembering what the situation was.

* * *

He feels as if he’s floating outside of his body, as if everything is happening around him, but he isn’t present. The pillows on the bed smell like  _ Davina _ , the indent where her head had been less than 24 hours ago still noticeable (he doesn’t even breathe near it, wanting to savor the reminders of her). Her shampoo is still in the shower, some fancy name brand she insists is worth every penny, though he thinks the value brands are all the same, and he noticed a few lonely shoes cluttered around his room, under piles of his unwashed clothes and blankets they had taken off the bed when Davina pleaded, stating it was too hot at night.

The  _ file _ sits on his desk, mocking him, but he works hard to channel some sort of restraint, desperate to shred the pages of Davina’s history before lashing out at his father. It’s more than obvious that Mikael has had a hand in Davina’s departure, given the fact that the brunette seemed to get along with the other members of his family.

Before allowing himself to get caught up in overanalyzing their days in London and the possible things Mikael could have said, his phone vibrates beside him on the bed: he picks it up, silently hoping that Davina has messaged him her location or at least in response to the ten messages he (shamefully) sent her, but instead Josh’s name appears on the screen.

**Josh:** Davina texted me that she’s coming home early. What happened?

Sighing, he tosses his phone beside him, sprawling out across his king sized bed, allowing himself to breathe a sigh of relief at the fact that Davina was at least safe enough to message Josh (he doesn’t want to think about the fact that she’s likely avoiding his messages).

Instead of responding to Josh’s message (he doesn’t really know the answer, anyways), he allows himself to close his eyes and imagine how he had thought the next few days would have gone with Davina: he likely would have at least tried to broach his (frankly) undeniable growing feelings for her, perhaps he would have suggested they go on a date at his favorite restaurant or exploring around a neighboring country. He knows Rebekah had wanted to spend a day with Davina designing her own apartment alongside Marcel, stating something about how their furniture doesn’t go well together and how she was hoping an ‘expert’ might persuade him to throw away his sandy leather pieces. 

Mostly, he thinks about the entire situation he has created for himself: he asked possibly one of the only people he truly trusts to do such a big favor for him, and now she isn’t even responding to his messages. For a brief second, he wonders if there was even a possibility that they could be  _ actually _ together if he hadn’t asked her to  _ fake _ date, though he tries to stop those thoughts (it’s way too late for that and, admittedly (ironically), fake dating  _ has _ brought them closer). 

Picking up his phone and reading Josh’s message, he quickly types a response before tossing the covers over his head: it’s only six o’clock and he hasn’t even had dinner yet, but sleep feels like the only escape he has at the moment.

**Kol:** I don’t know, mate. Let me know when she makes it back.

* * *

Josh is standing at the airport as she exits the plane, arms outstretched and desperately fighting the ‘I told you so’ grin she spent seven hours preparing for. He’s holding a sign with her name on it and, as relief washes over her at the sight, a large smile breaks out across her face, happiness bubbling to the surface. She knows that he will have questions later, but for right now, he’s just her best friend, who has continuously supported her unwaveringly throughout this whole ordeal, though he’s voiced his concerns loudly on multiple occasions (she  _ really _ deserves the ‘I told you so’ she knows is coming).

“You look paler; is that even possible?” Josh laughs as he wraps her in a tight, comforting embrace, her bags falling to the ground as she rushes to return the gesture. She’s missed him: his ability to lighten every situation, the way he carelessly critiques (lovingly, he always reminds her with a smile), the way he is happily and unapologetically himself (it’s refreshing after she’s spent the last few days pretending to be someone else).

“London isn’t exactly known for being the sunniest place in the world, Josh,” Davina teases, shooting her best friend a bright smile (he had been expecting more of a sad, bordering on tears look), as if they are simply meeting at the airport as scheduled, as if she didn’t return a few days early without her travel companion. “Besides, it’s not like we all can spend days just tanning on the beach at the Hamptons.”

“Imagine if we could,” Josh dramatically sighs, picking up one of her bags as he wraps an arm firmly around her, something he hopes is a comforting (if not slightly protective) gesture. “Everyone would look like a cast member from the OC.”

“If you wanted sunshine and tans, you should’ve went to USC,” Davina shrugs, keeping in step with her friend as they make their way toward the bust airport parking lot. “Listen, Josh, tha-”

“Davina, you don’t have to thank me for picking you up from the airport, and, though I haven’t mentioned it yet, just know that we  _ will _ be discussing what happened whenever you’re ready.” His tone is softer and somber, two things he usually isn’t, which warms Davina’s heart a little, knowing that her gossip-hungry best friend is more than willing to give her as much space from the situation as she needs.

“Let’s go home,” She mumbles as they step into the cold, bustling parking lot, smiling at one another before each taking a deep breath, preparing to flag down any and  _ every _ taxi that passes them until they have a ride home.


	21. Chapter 21

“Be sure to visit again soon,” Esther smiles somewhat sadly, hugging her son tightly, not wanting to let go, though she knows she has to (she has long since accepted the fact, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy about it). Kol had agreed to stay the full length of his intended stay, mostly because he claimed he needed time away from the city to think everything through, though he didn’t disclose exactly what conclusions he had come to (and Rebekah had endlessly asked, desperate to know what he was going to do to win Davina’s trust).

“Maybe you could visit me next time,” Kol suggests warily and, though he doesn’t say it, both know he means sans Mikael, who had left shortly after Davina on ‘business’ (Caroline had mentioned to him that she thought Esther had demanded he stay away for the rest of Kol’s stay, given what had happened). “The city looks amazing during all of the seasons.”

“Give Davina my love and let her know that she’s welcome back, anytime, our reputation be damned,” Esther continues, completely ignoring her son’s comments and the way he winces when she mentions the brunette’s name, as if Davina had left for a reason other than whatever posion Mikael had told her, as if Davina hadn’t been clearly avoiding him for the past few days. 

“Mom, you know-”

“-Yes, I know things are rough between the two of you right now, but things are going to get better, dear. Love is always worth fighting for,” Esther says knowingly, watching with amusement as her son blushes at her use of the word love, as if he’s still denying himself the fact that he’s  _ clearly _ in love with his former fake girlfriend. After Elijah had returned home from dropping the girl off at the airport, she had interrogated him alongside Rebekah and Caroline, but all he had said was that Davina had been upset about the situation and hadn’t wanted to go into the details of the situation with him: none of them had bought that, but they hadn’t questioned him, either, knowing that he was likely holding back as a promise to the girl in question.

“Mom, I don’t think-”

“A mother always knows, Kol, and I saw it the first time you introduced the two of us: even if you were simply trying to portray the idea that you were a couple in love, it was clear that your  _ feelings _ are what made the act believable. It wasn’t what you were saying or doing, it was how you looked at one another and the small, mindless gestures you made to accommodate one another.” She looks pleased with herself, shooting her son an accepting, knowing smile before giving him one final hug, looking behind him to see Mikael and Rebekah standing beside one another, though clearly at arm's length, tensely watching the conversation. 

“It would appear that there is a line of people who are waiting to wish you a goodbye,” She whispers into her son’s ear, stepping back for a moment to admire the young man her baby had grown into, before squeezing his hand and making her way out of the room, quickly taking Rebekah’s hand and leading her away, as well.

As Esther and Rebekah leave, the warmth fades from the room, Kol’s soft gaze hardening into a cold stare as he regards his father, standing straighter, as if suddenly in a formal meeting rather than sharing a goodbye with his father.

“Listen, son, I know that what I did was wrong, but-”

“Don’t excuse what you did, Mikael,” Kol snaps quietly, his glare turning icy as the older man begins fumbling with his words, trying to string along a sentence that will somehow alleviate him from some of the guilt Esther and his children have ensured he feels (even Finn had distanced himself from him, though Mikael knew that was likely under Sage’s direction). 

“I’m not trying to excuse my actions, I’m trying to explain that-”

“I’m not really in the mood for whatever  _ explanations _ you’re going to feed me. Davina hasn’t returned any of my calls or messages in  _ days _ , the only reason I know she hasn’t died in some freak accident is because her roommate ensured me that she landed safely. If she has it her way, we’ll likely never speak again.” Kol mutters, turning away from his father, thinking about the file he and Rebekah had somberly burned the other night, claiming that the pages haunted them, both in content and the damage it had created.

“You’re angry, of course you are, but we’re family, Kol-”

“What if I don’t want to be a part of your family?” His question is sharp and, as he turns to face his father, hatred and anger are clearly written across his face, his hardly reigned in anger surfacing quickly, like a pot close to bubbling over. “ _ You _ make all these choices for everyone and just expect them to go along with them: all that seems to matter is this family’s reputation rather than the happiness of its members and, might I suggest, that  _ no one _ is ever ‘good enough’ for you. I know that I made some mistakes as a teenager and acted out in ways I shouldn’t have, but if this is your way of punishing me-”

“Of course I’m not out to punish you, Kol, I’m simply looking out for you.” He delivers it with such sincerity that it makes Kol scowl, clearly knowing that Mikael believes the statement, though he doesn’t see how  _ wrong _ he is in acting as he has, not just with Davina but with all of his children’s significant others. “Davina wasn’t the right girl for you, son, and I know that’s-”

“You don’t know  _ anything _ , Mikael, because you don’t really know  _ me _ . To you, I’m still the teenager that gets drunk at your high society parties and makes a mess that you have to clean up with a team of overqualified public relations specialists and long lectures. When you look at me, you don’t see the man that Ive become, but rather the boy that dreaded living his life under your scrutiny, desperate to escape. You don’t know  _ anything _ about me, so don’t even talk about what is  _ right _ for me.” His voice is low, though it seems to echo in the silence of the room, Mikael deflating after every sentence, unable to come up with a retort to explain the actions he took.

“Son, I’m sorry that you feel that way, but-”

“There is no ‘but’ in this situation, no excuse that is going to make things better, Mikael. You might’ve been doing what you thought was best for this family, but you can’t do what’s best if you don’t even know your own child. So, next time, when you’re thinking about your family members, feel free to forget me.” Kol states, a blank look covering his face as he slings his duffel bag over his shoulder, heading toward the door without even shaking his father’s hand. “I’m trying to forget you, already.”

Mikael stands in silence as the door closes loudly behind Kol, his son’s words echoing through his head as he wonders, for the first time, if he made the wrong decision and misjudged the situation.

* * *

“Come  _ on _ Davina, he was cute and he might be exactly what you need to get over-” Cami’s voice trails off, careful not to mention their friend’s name, though both women know exactly who she’s talking about. Beside her, Davina flinches slightly at the mention of Kol, before shrugging as if she isn’t affected by his name being brought up in casual conversation (admittedly, she knows there’s no way he won’t be mentioned, given that they’re all friends, and tells herself just to  _ get over it _ ).

The ‘he’ she’s referring to is a blonde named Oliver who had invited her to dance, though she politely turned him down, insisting that she wasn’t really in the mood for dancing (or doing anything, given the fact that she’s more than aware Josh agreed to pick  _ Kol _ up from the airport today). Oliver had been nice and looked better than at least half of the other (clearly) single men around her, but she just wasn’t in the mood to make small conversation that she knew wasn’t going anywhere (and she knew it  _ couldn’t _ go anywhere, given the whole  _ Kol _ thing)(God, it was like her life revolved around  _ Kol _ all of the sudden).

“Cami, I just don’t think it’s the right time: I think I’ll just take some time to myself, maybe remodel Josh and my apartment and start going on runs with Josh, like he always suggests,” Davina says, faking enthusiasm, though she can already feel dread settling over her at the idea of running around Central Park with her best friend who doesn’t understand the concept of keeping a steady pace or the idea that people with shorter legs tend to take smaller strides and be a little slower (he hardly notices when she starts falling behind, continuing to talk and run as if they’re still side-by-side, even after she’s fallen a block or two behind him).

“You  _ hate _ running with Josh,” Cami deadpans, shooting her a knowing glance before looking back toward the people surrounding them, clearly trying to pick another helpless man out of the crowd. 

“Maybe I’ll start running alone, to clear my head and everything,” Davina counters quickly, turning back toward the bar and gesturing for another glass of water (alcohol isn’t really her poison of choice, especially not in public). 

“K- we both know that certain individuals might have problems with that,” Cami stutters, careful not to look toward Davina, not wanting to see her best friend cringe or react, even slightly, guilt already washing over her. It’s a debate she had overheard multiple times, the two arguing about safety and the necessity of a rape whistle and running buddy (always both, though, never just one or the other): Davina always made remarks about how she had lived in the city for multiple years and was always safe, while Kol simply stated that he didn’t like the idea of her running alone, where a predator might be waiting around any (and every) corner.

“ _ Certain individuals _ will have to get over it,” she retorts easily, containing any sort of anger she has about the impact and recurrence Kol has in her life, her mind flooding with thoughts about him. Since returning back to New York, it was more apparent than ever that Kol Mikaelson was a constant in her life: they ate lunch together on Mondays and Wednesdays, went on jogs almost every day and, even when he’s across the ocean, he somehow remains on her mind. 

“You know, we haven’t talked about what happened,” Cami starts, running her finger along the brim of her glass as she shifts her gaze to meet Davina’s, trying to seem encouraging and understanding, though she’s sure all she looks is pushy.

“There really isn’t much to say, Cami: I wasn’t good enough for his family,” Davina replies, as if she hasn’t spent hours thinking about the fact, obsessing over who might be good enough and how, even though she’s spent years trying to escape it, her past has come back to haunt her, once more. 

“Davina, maybe we should talk about why you’re so bothered by that fact, given the fact that you two were only pre-”

“Actually Cami, I’ve had a change of heart and think I’ll go talk to Oliver, after all,” Davina says quickly, standing from her barstool and picking up her glass of water as she makes her way toward the blonde, who smiles brightly as she approaches.

From her spot at the bar, Cami starts thinking of all the ways the situation might play out, all of which have less than desirable endings.

* * *

“Maybe I could come with you, for moral support,” Rebekah suggests as she sits in the passenger seat of Marcel’s car, glancing back at her brother with an encouraging smile. Beside her, Marcel scoffs slightly, shooting her a look that says ‘give him some space,’ though she promptly ignores it, refocusing her gaze on her brother and quickly wondering how illegal it would be to move seats in a moving car (probably  _ very _ , she decides with a huff).

“Bex, you have a job in London and a wedding to plan,” Kol reminds her with a smile, thankful for her desire to help, while also knowing that a large part of the reason she wants to return with him is to talk with Davina (she had made a long-winded speech about how they had become friends and how, if it was the last time, she would at least like to say goodbye to the brunette, which had been amusing, to say the least). 

“Wedding planning can wait a few days and I’m my own boss, Kol. I can design clothes from anywhere,” Rebekah swiftly replies, something that is clearly practiced, given how little time or effort the response took (Kol figures she’s been practicing in the mirror, thinking of all the objections he might make and carefully creating counter-arguments).

“Rebekah, I think you might be coming on a bit too strong,” Marcel suggests with a laugh, trying to lighten the situation, though it only earns him a glare from his fiance and a soft snort from his other passenger. “Don’t you think that it should be  _ just _ Kol when he finally talks with her? Wouldn’t it be a little awkward if you were there, hovering in the corner, waiting to pounce?”

“Yes-”

“No, I don’t think so.” They answer at the same time, with Kol giving her a somewhat incredulous look, deciding that his whole family has somehow lost their minds since he left for America, while Rebekah gives him a hard look, clearly not impressed by his response.

“We’re friends; sometimes girls rely on other girls to discuss these sort of matters,” Rebekah rationalizes, trying to persuade the two males in the car to see her side of things. When Kol had argued she didn’t have a ticket, she reminded him that he had one for  _ her _ that was currently not being used anymore (due to obvious reasons). His argument that her presence would be missed at the compound was met with a reminder that everyone was leaving the next day and Marcel had a short business trip. In her mind, her logic is air-tight and flawless, there is no way he will be able to argue that her presence will only hinder whatever he’s planning (which, though she’s tried, he won’t tell her).

“Not to be rude, because I know that you guys are friends, but I doubt she’s going to want to talk to  _ you _ about Kol, given the fact that you’re  _ related _ . Nothing would be more uncomfortable and tense than that, Rebekah,” Marcel admits, earning an eager nod from Kol, who hums his agreement, shooting the older man a thankful look.

“I don’t see how my relation to Kol would discount me from any sort of boy talk,” Rebekah mumbles, crossing her arms defiantly, as if daring one of them to explain it to her.

“Well, I didn’t say all boy talk, Bex. If Davina was interested in anyone, say  _ Tim _ , then maybe she would feel more comfortable talking to you about it,” Marcel’s tone is soft, clearly trying to pacify the girl beside him and ignore the groan from the back of his car at the mention of Davina’s ex-boyfriend.

“She wouldn’t want to talk about Tim: that’s all in the past now,” Kol exclaims, though it seems as if he’s trying to persuade himself more than the other two, who share a knowing look, watching a slight amount of jealousy resurface in the usually calm and collected Mikaelson.

“The two of you will be too if you don’t have something great planned,” Rebekah states, looking pleased with herself at the retort as she turns to face forward, knowing that she had lost the argument the second Marcel and Kol joined forces.


	22. Chapter 22

"Thank you for meeting with me, Davina," Kol says, trying to keep his voice even as he stares at himself in the mirror, attempting to steady his shaking hands. Since he had come back a week ago, he had finally persuaded Davina to meet with him for their usual lunch routine, though the pressure leading up to the event felt suffocating: after going more than a week without any form of contact from her, he fully understood what was at stake if this conversation didn't go perfectly (not only would he lose her in any sort of romantic capacity, but he was sure she would no longer want to be friends, given her radio silence for the past few days). Clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair, he tries not to let himself get swept up in the possibilities this conversation may bring, having spent countless hours the night before thinking about the multiple outcomes of this specific conversation.

"'Davina, hey, it's been a while.' No, definitely not that one." He mutters, his voice lowering as he criticizes himself, cringing slightly as he imagines how many doors for awkward silence that greeting leaves (would they have to discuss why she left right away? would she even want to talk about that  _ ever _ ?).

"I'm sorry about what Mikael said, Davina, but I don't think there is any truth to the idea that marrying you would be a mistake," He tries again, though it sounds a little too hopeful and his voice drifts at the end, as if he should potentially suggest that he thinks they should  _ actually _ get married (it would be too soon for that, right?). After spending hours on the phone with Rebekah, who called nightly requesting status updates, expressing her unhappiness when he had nothing to share, he has come to the full realization that he  _ might _ have some sort of romantic feelings for Davina that he has been trying to stifle for the majority of their friendship (whether that be because of  _ Tim _ or the simple fact that he didn't want to mess things up, he hasn't really elaborated on the full details). With this realization has brought on more waves of stress and anxiety, knowing that, while he is going to have to prove that he's trustworthy and not the man Mikael clearly thinks he is (power-hungry and driven by status), he will also need to at least consider mentioning his newfound feelings (honestly, he isn't sure how long he can just 'hold them in' and, if he even manages to, Rebekah will surely call the brunette and tell her, herself). 

"I've missed you these past few days and I'm glad that we're meeting today," Kol tries, running a hand over his face as if it will soften the blow of his statement. Each attempt sounds either too hopeful or too suggestive, too desperate or too detached: he's already internally mocking himself for being the asshole who practices what they're going to say in the mirror, but this has just taken things a step closer to complete and utter pathetic-ness (a stage he, surprisingly, hasn't reached yet).

"It's great to see you again, D-"

"Studies have actually shown that talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity," Cami's voice rings out as she stands in the doorway of his bathroom, causing him to jump, clearly unaware of the audience he had (a blush quickly rises on his cheeks as he realizes that she's likely heard at least one, if not  _ all,  _ of his attempts). Dangling a key to his apartment (that he's sure she borrowed from Davina), a smirk plastered across her delicate features, she's clearly enjoying his embarrassment, which makes him wonder just  _ how much _ of the situation she's heard about from Davina.

"Cami! You're here," His voice is louder than he had anticipated, his eyes wide as if he's been caught making out with himself in the mirror (which unfortunately happened once, though it was Klaus instead of Cami and he was eleven). He's unsure why he sounds so surprised, given the fact that he practically begged her to come so they could practice what he could say (she had agreed that there was a lot riding on this conversation and had taken pity on him), but the blonde's bright smile seems to ease a little bit of the tension he feels about the situation as he quickly escorts her out of the bathroom.

“Yup, sorry I didn’t bring a wig to fully get into character, but I thought that would be weird, given the entire situation: I’m still surprised Josh let me borrow these clothes without asking any further questions,” Cami comments, looking down at her outfit, the oversized Columbia sweater and black soffe shorts making her feel as if she’s raided her best friend’s wardrobe (which, admittedly, isn’t that far off from what actually happened). When she had mentioned to Josh that she needed to borrow the articles of clothing, he had shot her a suspicious look, though retrieved them without asking any further questions, as if he didn’t want to be involved with whatever scheme she had somehow been roped into (she couldn’t say she blamed him). Honestly, she probably had the exact same outfit hidden somewhere under piles of clothes she hadn’t worn since her undergrad, but she had thought wearing Davina’s clothes would help her get more into character.

“A wig would have been too weird, anyways,” Kol admits, shaking his head, trying to keep from envisioning the blonde with brunette locks: Davina and Cami had similar enough personalities as it was, they didn’t need to have similar  _ physical _ features, as well. Sitting down at his dining room table and gesturing for her to take the seat across from him, he tries not to think about how he had been in a similar position with Davina a few weeks earlier, when they had been discussing his family and preparing for their trip to  _ hell _ , instead trying to focus on the task at hand.

“Thank you for-”

“That is way too formal and awkward: it sounds like you’re starting a business meeting,” Cami interrupts, shaking her head as if she’s disappointed in him (she really,  _ really _ is). Part of the reason she had agreed to this weird ‘acting exercise’ was because she had seen how terrible things went with Davina and Oliver the other night (the brunette had somehow turned an innocent flirtation into an impromptu therapy session and poor Oliver had to listen to her Kol problems for at least ten minutes until Cami dragged her away): if nothing else, Davina needed a sense of closure to move on (though she doubted that’s how the conversation would end between her two friends). “Remember, I’m Davina, your friend who has been by your side steadily for quite some time now that you’re probably  _ in love  _ with.” The declaration rings through the room as Kol’s mouth opens and closes, as if he’s been caught doing something he shouldn’t have been, his eyes wide as he looks at the blonde.

“What? No, I don’t- Where did you- How could you possibly- Why would you think I’m in love with Davina?” 

Cami gives him a look, one that suggests his stuttering was reason enough and that his question doesn’t even warrant an answer, before smiling knowingly and waving a hand, dismissing it effortlessly.

“Kol, I don’t really have all day for this and you  _ clearly _ need the practice so-”

“Of course. Right.” Shaking his head quickly and running a hand over his face, he takes a deep breath and attempts to start again. “Davina, hey, glad you could make it.”

“A little better, but still not it. Your voice got a little squeaky at the end, a weird mixture of hopefulness and desperation.” Admittedly, Kol had known when he asked that Cami had never really been his  _ biggest  _ fan, especially since he asked Davina for the ‘small favor’ of pretending to be his girlfriend for multiple years, but he is reminded once more by her somewhat harsh criticisms and unwavering stare, a perfectly blank expression on her face.

“Hey, Davina, how are you?” He watches Cami carefully, knowing that she’s likely going to find at least three things wrong with the question, though the blonde shrugs, as if the opening statement is ‘acceptable.’

“Good, things at work have been picking up,” Cami responds, her voice an octave higher and softer, as if she’s trying to impersonate the brunette (Kol cringes slightly when he hears it, though it doesn’t resemble Davina’s voice  _ at all _ ). “How have you been? I’m sorry to have left you in London, alone with your family, to clean up everything, but I just wasn’t sure what to say after your father told me that marrying me would ruin your reputation and  _ you _ agreed.”

Okay, so that really clarified how much of the situation Cami knew and, judging by the bitterness that rang through her tone and her slight glare, it’s clear that she doesn’t want to hear whatever explanations or excuses he’s prepared (he practiced those with Rebekah, anyways, so it’s not like he needs  _ more _ help).

“I’ve been good, things have been busy since I got back, but I’m glad we made time to do this.” Kol smiles, completely ignoring the end of Cami’s statement, both knowing that Davina likely wouldn’t say something so clearly pointed and passive-aggressive (maybe  _ just _ aggressive). “D, I’m sorry about what happened in London, but I-”

“Stop. I don’t think that we should go any further,” Cami mutters, standing from her chair quickly, as if it’s physically painful for her to sit across from him  _ and look at him _ . He agrees, knowing his explanation should be saved primarily for Davina, though he shoots the blonde a worried look, concern written across his face.

“Is everything alright, Cami?”

“Yeah, it would just be weird if I heard whatever explanation before Davina did, you know? Like, I would then be the third person in your relationship, which I can only imagine would be extremely awkward.” The excuse is somewhat jumbled, though Kol understands the blonde’s perspective, feeling the same.

“Well, thanks for your help with this,” Kol smiles, gesturing between the two of them and offering the blonde a donut before she leaves his apartment quickly.

* * *

“How was your late-night meeting?” Davina questions with a laugh, smiling at the blonde on the other side of the peephole, who is clearly wearing her clothes (she chooses not to ask, knowing that Cami probably has some long-winded ‘putting yourself in someone else’s shoes  _ and clothes _ ’ explanation that she isn’t entirely interested in hearing). Opening the door for her friend to enter, Cami shoots her a slight glare before making her way toward the couch, only then noticing the other person sitting on it.

Wearing a pair of sweatpants she’s pretty sure are Josh’s and a bright smile, Marcel Gerard looks (perhaps too) comfortable sitting on the couch, waving happily at her before returning his attention back to the screen, where  _ Pitch Perfect 2 _ is frozen, just as Rebel Wilson is about to being serenading Bumper with “We Belong.”

Looking back toward Davina, who is acting as if the presence of a stranger in her apartment isn’t entirely out of context for her, Cami decides that she’s going to have a full-on interrogation for her best friend the second the man on the other side of the couch moves to go to the bathroom.


	23. Chapter 23

“Who the hell is that guy?” Cami whispers after hearing the bathroom door click shut, turning toward her friend with an expression that clearly demands an explanation. After sitting in semi-uncomfortable silence for an hour, Marcel either actually had to use the bathroom or simply understood that the friends needed to discuss something without him, politely asking for direction to the bathroom before disappearing around the corner.

“Marcel,” Davina whispers, looking toward the door as if he might be standing beside it, listening to their conversation (he isn’t: Marcel is honestly nothing if not polite). 

She had been extremely surprised to see Marcel at her apartment door hours earlier: not only because she hadn’t told anyone where she lived _without Kol_ , but also because Rebekah wasn’t standing beside him, demanding details about the latest fashion trends and the best boutiques in the city, talking a mile a minute about the places they’d have to shop within the next few days. Instead, he came alone, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a bag of Chinese in his hand, claiming that he only needed a place to crash for the night (she understood why he didn’t ask Kol, given their estranged manner, but she didn’t quite understand why he turned to her instead of a hotel).

“Rebekah’s fiance _Marcel_ ? Why would that guy show up at your door?” Cami’s voice is likely louder than she had been hoping for, the look Davina shoots her indicating that she would need to take it down a few notches, given the fact that Marcel only left the room (he hadn’t gone _deaf_ and the walls are notoriously paper-thin in her apartment). 

“I don’t know why he’s here, he just said he had some sort of business to take care of and needed a place to crash for the night,” Davina shrugs, her voice soft as she looks toward the bathroom door once more, a little paranoid that Marcel will come out and hear them talking about him. She genuinely thinks Marcel is a nice enough guy and, though she doubts they will be spending any more time together after his short visit, she considers him a friend (or friend-adjacent: things feel complicated given the way they met and the fact that at least half the facts he knows about her are likely fake).

“Well why wouldn’t he-”

“Davina, I think you’re running short on toilet paper,” Marcel comments, making his presence known as he makes his way back toward the couch, earning a groan from the brunette and a cackle from the blonde.

“Cami, will you-”

“Absolutely not: I thought it was a bad idea for you and Kol to buy that obscene pack of toilet paper, but you said it was a _great_ deal and that you would easily share. Looks like you’re going to have to go over there and plead for a couple of rolls,” Cami laughs, noticing her best friend’s distress at the idea. When Davina and Kol had come to their shared joint apartment during their junior year, Cami had protested, listing any and every reason she could think of as to why it was a bad idea, but the duo had pretended not to hear her: ever since, they have been alternating who gets to keep the large package (which they thought was a disadvantage, given how much space it takes up).

“It _saves_ money,” Davina grumbles as she looks toward the bathroom, trying to decide how _urgent_ it would be to get a couple of rolls from Kol, before sighing and standing from her position on the couch, knowing the answer is _extremely_ if she doesn’t want to hear Josh rant about the toilet paper situation (again - apparently she and Kol were the only people who saw the logic in buying the bulk package). “Come on, Marcel, you can be the one to plead for our ration, since it was _you_ who depleted our current supply.”

“I can only imagine this going poorly for you, Marcel,” Cami mutters as Davina disappears to find a jacket and her shoes, mumbling under her breath about ‘stupid money savings’ and ‘toilet paper.’ Marcel, who looks more amused than anything else, nods in agreement, shrugging on his own jacket and shoes as he watches the brunette scramble to find whatever she’s looking for.

* * *

“Just knock,” Davina demands as she stares at Kol’s apartment door (she has a key, but she didn’t feel it would be appropriate to use it, given the current situation and the fact that it felt a little _intrusive_ , even when they had been communicating regularly). She doesn’t miss the weird looks Kol’s neighbors shoot her as they pass, looking between Marcel and the door, as if it’s some sort of scandal (in a way, it _might_ be, but not how they’re thinking).

“No, why can’t you knock? Aren’t you guys friends?” Marcel shoots her a disbelieving look, one that tells her that he obviously heard all about their farce, though his gaze doesn’t seem to be judgemental, his statement simply one he feels is true (it kind of is, right?).

“You guys are going to become in-laws, Marcel! This could be the beginning step toward bonding!” Davina mutters, her voice low, knowing that Kol can likely hear them from inside the apartment, fake enthusiasm dripping from her words. Marcel only rolls his eyes and pushes her slightly closer to the door, causing her to scoff and knock lightly, telling herself that she can always stop by the drug-store around the corner if Kol doesn’t answer (she’s _kind of_ hoping he won’t answer, but where else would he be besides home on a Tuesday night?).

After a few long seconds, Davina allows herself to turn away from the door with a heavy sigh of relief, somewhat thrilled that Kol hadn’t been home (though part of her is suddenly curious where else he would be, given the fact that she knows his schedule almost as well as she knows her own). As her emotions battle for dominance and her thoughts spiral more than is manageable, she seems to miss the fact that Kol has appeared behind her, though Marcel’s slight smile and wave bring her back to reality as she cringes, turning slowly toward the brunette she had been avoiding.

“Hey Kol, how are you?” Her voice sounds uncertain and shaky, even to her own ears, which causes the blush to darken on her cheeks (behind her, she hears Marcel chuckle softly, internally glaring at him as she continues looking forward). “Marcel used the last of our toilet paper and we’ve come to borrow some more from the stash.” Turning back toward her surprise guest, she notices that Marcel has seemingly disappeared, leaving just the two of them, her hands stuffed awkward into her pockets as she rocks slightly on the balls of her feet, trying to think of something else to say.

“I didn’t realize Marcel was in town,” Kol mumbles before opening the door a little wider, inviting her in, though she can see the hesitation in his features, as if he’s overthinking every movement he’s making, wondering if he’s crossed some sort of invisible, unspoken line.

“Yeah, I kinda figured you didn’t. He needs a place to stay for the night, I guess, and he stopped by my apartment,” Davina says with a soft smile, looking around at his apartment as if he’s completely re-decorated (which he hasn’t), trying to avoid making any sort of eye-contact. 

“I feel like that explanation just opens the door for a million more questions,” Kol laughs as he makes his way toward his storage closet which is brimming with stacks of toilet paper (they had a deal on the bulk packages last time they went to the store, so Davina had insisted they stock up), pulling a few from the top as he tries to quiet the questions swirling around his head, not wanting to ruin whatever moment they may be having (he isn’t even sure anymore: can people bond over toilet paper?).

“Okay, that’s a fair point, but I didn’t want to seem like I was prying,” Davina laughs as Kol tosses her a few rolls, pulling a trash bag out of one of his kitchen drawers to carry the toilet paper in. “Besides, I figured maybe Rebekah would know why he was in town,” she says suggestively, raising her eyebrows to clearly present the idea she’s proposing, though he shakes his head, not wanting to call his (semi-insane) sister, especially not when he would have to mention that _Davina_ had been the one to know Marcel was in town.

“Absolutely not. Oh no, Davina, you can’t be asking me to call that whacko,” Kol says, flailing his arms slightly, which causes the toilet paper rolls to fly into the air, his grip loosening as he thinks about how insane Rebekah would be if he even picked up the phone to make the call (he can practically hear her taunting already).

“Come on, Kol, you kind of owe me a favor,” Davina teases, a smile spreading across her face, some of the tension rolling off her shoulders as she picks up the rolls he’s dropped, watching as his eyes widen at the mention of their little exchange of ‘favors’. Josh and Cami had both been clear that he should not, under any circumstances, mention the whole ‘fake dating’ thing, so he’s surprised that she’s bringing up the topic.

“Maybe, but I would rather eat a roll of toilet paper than call Rebekah: that girl has been ruthless lately,” Kol mutters, sizing up a roll of toilet paper as if actually considering eating the paper, which causes Davina to giggle softly. “You should call her, Davina; I’m sure she’d want to hear from you more than me, anyway.”

“Oh, I don’t even have her num-”

“It’s cute that you think that would be a problem, darling, but I’m sure there’s a specific reason Marcel knew your address.” Kol jokes as he tosses a couple of more rolls in her direction, watching as her cheeks turn pink at the use of the nickname that easily rolls off his tongue.

“Oh God, I didn’t even think about that,” Davina shudders playfully, pretending to be disturbed by the new information. “Maybe I should go into witness protection and adopt a new name. I could learn to be a farmer or some sort of cowgirl. Jackson could lend me some of his plaid shirts!”

“Don’t get too carried away, Davina. Rebekah will _always_ find you, take it from someone who knows first hand,” Kol laughs, though he begins imagining what it might be like if the brunette in front of him became a cowgirl (he’s never seen her near cows or any other farm animals during the duration of their friendship, though he doubts she would handle herself too well, given her love for ‘modern technology’ and her distaste for country western movies).

“You make her sound like she’s in the Mafia,” Davina jokes, tying up her treasures and looking toward her companion, who is simply smiling back at her, clearly more at ease than he had been when she first arrived.

“Nothing would surprise me, Davina. Nothing,” Kol says in a somber tone, trying to keep his voice flat and the smile from stretching across his face (he only succeeds at the latter). “Listen, I know that you have to get back to Marcel before Josh figures out that you’re out of toilet paper and goes into his favorite rant, but I was wondering if maybe you’d wanna meet up for our usual lunch tomorrow?”

He’s hopeful, more so than he had intended, but he can’t help it.

“Yeah, I would like that,” Davina smiles softly, nodding her head as she tucks a loose chocolate strand behind her ear, something she only does when she’s nervous (she doesn’t want to explore why she would be nervous, though she has a sinking suspicion she already knows the answer). “We have a lot to talk about.”

**Author's Note:**

> A few fun facts about me:  
> ~I have loved Danielle Campbell since I saw her in _Starstruck_ , which was forever ago  
> ~Dialogue is my strong suit, but I'm trying to stray a little from it  
> ~I have watched more than twenty 'Kol and Davina' videos in the past 48 hours: it's almost embarrassing
> 
> **guys, I just learned that Charles Michael Davis and I went to the same college for undergrad (I am still a student)!**


End file.
